FUQUAY VARINA HIGH SCHOOL COLOR GUARD & WINTER GUARD

Guard Instructors:  Yoselyn Salazar and Allison Schaefer

Band Director:  Mrs. Avery Butler | abutler4@wcpss.net

919-557-2511, ext. 23852

Winter Guard Auditions are November 10 and 11, 2026 from 6-9PM at the FVHS Gym.

The 2026-2027 Winter Guard Calendar can be found here.

Color guard is part of the marching band.  Color guard is important to the marching band because they bring everything together. They help everyone understand the rhythm of the wind instruments, the taps of the drums and the various sounds of the instruments within the pit together. Their performances add a visual element to the show with a goal to help the audience better interpret the music along with visual pleasure.  Flag changes that happen with the change of the music  enhance the story that the musicians are trying to tell  and help the audience realize the tone of the next song. The element of the color guard catches the attention of the audience and forces them to pay more attention to the various elements of a marching band: the drumline, the pit and the wind instruments. 

Winter guard is an indoor extension of color guard, featuring expressive dance, equipment work (flags, rifles, sabers), and theatrical staging.  They practice and compete after the end of the marching band competition season.

Teams are evaluated on:

• Creativity and design

• Technical execution and precision

• Equipment handling skill

• Emotional and artistic impact

• Timing and adherence to setup/teardown limits