The Deep River Ancient Muster (DRAM) is an annual event in the town of Deep River, Connecticut, USA; held the third weekend in July every year.  Several thousand spectators travel to Deep River to watch over 70 units (more than 1500 marchers) parade in garb from various periods in history, playing fife and drum music.  Using the shrill fife and the rope tension drum, the beat stirs patriotism in spectators and participants alike.   The music is historical and tends to have a slower beat. The muster tradition dates back to the Revolutionary War when each army unit had a fifer and drummer for sounding the various duty calls.

The DRAM is the oldest and largest gathering of fife and drum corps in the world. The event is sponsored by the Deep River [Senior] Drum Corps, a unit organized in 1873. Of course, none of the original members are still with the group, but their spirit and enthusiasm for the tradition lives on.

The "Tattoo" is a concert at Devitt's Field hosted by the Deep River Junior Ancients the Friday night before each muster. The Deep River Juniors and a few guest corps are featured.  Each corps performs for 10 to 15 minutes. At the conclusion of the Tattoo there is an open jam session- all fifers and drummers and on lookers are invited to participate.  

Saturday- shuttle buses start running 9:00 a.m. (2 hours prior to step off) to begin carrying marchers from Devitt's  Field to the beginning of the parade at the corner of Kirtland and Main Streets.

There is a registration table the corner of Main and Kirtland Streets for the groups to register and find out their number in the parade line up (the Muster line up is the same).

The parade's step off time is 11:00 a.m.  The corps line up on Kirtland Street; the parade starts with the Deep River Seniors stepping off on Kirtland Street and turning left down Main Street proceeding toward Devitt's Field. 

This year corps will be coming from all of the following states: CT,  MA, VT, NH, RI, MD, VA, CA, PA, OH, MI, NY, FL, and NJ.  We frequently also have corps from Switzerland.

The DRAM is a proud tradition in the drum corps community and has been referred to as : "The Granddaddy of all Musters", "The Capital of the Ancient World", and "A Colonial Woodstock". The Deep River Ancient Muster Committee welcomes all who are making the pilgrimage to our ancient time honored tradition.  It takes the selfless efforts of many loyal friends and volunteers in the local community and "Ancient Spirit" of the drum corps family to pull off an event of this magnitude.

Deep River Muster News

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