Annual Conference
Band Things Happen
in Philadelphia
May 21-25, 2026
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Freedom Band (PFB) is excited to invite you to join us in Philadelphia for Band Things Happen in Philadelphia, the Pride Bands Alliance 2026 Annual Conference. Scheduled for May 21-25, 2026, Band Things Happen in Philadelphia will be the first conference hosted by PFB.
Pride Bands Alliance and the Philadelphia Freedom Band present the 2026 Pride Bands Alliance Conference Concert – Say You Want a Revolution: Music of Change and Transformation. The concert, conducted by PFB Artistic Director Hayley Varhol, PFB Assistant Artistic Director Ryan Lowrie, and a range of guest conductors from other Pride Bands member ensembles, will feature two separate bands with a total of over 300 musicians from across the country.
Our repertoire will celebrate the Semiquincentennial Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, other important historical moments in America and Philadelphia, and calls for progress. We also plan to pay homage to LGBTQ+ history, celebrate the nation’s deep musical roots, and champion hope for the future.
Code of Conduct
Purpose
Pride Bands Alliance promotes music, visibility, and pride through our mission statement and aspires to live by our values. This means turning our values into behaviors that positively impact how we treat each other, how we interact with others, and how we view our community.
Historically, language has left many out. Individuals and groups have been marginalized and discriminated against because of who they are. Therefore, Pride Bands is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, creed, color, sex, national origin, age, disability (physical or mental), mental illness, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, marital status, veteran status, political affiliation or belief, gender expression, serostatus, socioeconomic status or background, ancestry, citizenship status, physical appearance, or more, including other protected classification applicable by federal and local laws. We’re united by Pride Bands values, and we celebrate our unique differences.
Through the work of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, the Pride Bands Alliance Board of Directors has created this Code of Conduct to aspire for Pride Bands to be an inclusive organization by creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed and included. This Code of Conduct serves as an official commitment to our member bands and community about the behaviors we expect at Pride Bands Alliance.
Scope
All Pride Bands Alliance Board members, member bands, bands-in-formation, affiliate members, delegates, and individual members (the “Member” or “Members”) are expected to follow this Code of Conduct. The term “member bands” includes all current and active bands or partner organizations. The Code of Conduct applies to all situations in which Pride Bands Members interact in person, virtually, or electronically.
The scope of this Code of Conduct to all Pride Bands affiliated interactions, communications, and events. This Code of Conduct is also inclusive of the previously approved Event Code of Conduct and Anti-Harassment Policy on July 19th, 2020.
Scholarships
In keeping with the Pride Bands Alliance mission and core values of promoting music, visibility and pride for all, we are committed to continue providing performance opportunities for band members with limited financial resources to participate in the Pride Bands Annual Conference.
All Pride Bands Alliance Band Members or Pride Bands Alliance Affiliate Members who have demonstrated a commitment to Pride Bands and their respective bands are eligible to apply for this scholarship. The total amount of scholarship awarded to each recipient, as well as the total number of scholarships awarded each year, is dependent on contributions to the scholarship fund for that given year. While all band members are welcomed to apply for this scholarship, we encourage only those who are truly in need of financial assistance to apply.
If you are NOT in need of financial assistance but would like to contribute to the scholarship fund, please consider helping your fellow bandmates at the donation link below. Indicate in the comments section that the donation is for conference scholarships.
If you have any questions, please contact the Scholarship Committee at scholarships@pridebands.org.