Marching Classic honors Les and Karen Tlougan

Les and Karen Tlougan are the Grand Marshals for the 2023 Marching Classic Parade. It’s a title they’ve earned, having dedicated many hours to each of the Marching Classic events held over the past three decades.

On Saturday, September 23, they will be seated in a convertible at the front of the procession. Once it’s completed the route, their car will deliver them back to the viewing stand where, “We’ll get to see the parade!” says Karen, her enthusiasm making it clear that actually sitting still and watching the parade is not how it usually goes.

It was all pretty low-key to start with.

Back between 1985 and 1995, Les and Karen Tlougan had children in the band program, and so it only seemed right to help out with some of the activities. 

“Really, until they’ve worked with it, people have no way of understanding everything that goes into an event like the Classic,” observes Karen. “So we helped."

“We weren’t directly involved with the very first Classic in 1988,” comments Les, recalling it was probably three or four years later that they began helping. For the two of them, remembering the tasks they’ve performed over the three decades they’ve volunteered is a review of the ways technology and communication have evolved.

Back when metal “button” pins were the way to show admission had been paid, Karen remembers counting, sorting, and packaging pins so they could be delivered to various businesses. She remembers making ribbon displays with admission buttons pinned on them for sales displays. She says she’s grateful that lightweight wristbands are now used, since they’re so much easier to work with. Another task was counting programs–hundreds of printed programs. That job, too, no longer exists, since a QR code now allows everyone to access the information digitally. 

Modern innovations have not yet wiped the memory, though, of times when Karen and Les would host family gatherings and recruit everyone there to assist with whatever task was at hand to get ready for the upcoming event. 

But even after their daughter Christine graduated in 1989 and their daughter Jessica graduated in 1995, the work continued. Perhaps part of their dedication stemmed from Les’ job as the media specialist at the high school, a position he held from 1974 until 2009.

In the end, Karen suggests, it really comes down to making sure a good thing like the Marching Classic thrives and continues.

She has continued to take care of simple but vital tasks while Les has used his skills to continue ensuring the growing and changing media and technology are used to streamline the record-keeping and information sharing with band directors. Judges’ comments and feedback, once placed on audio tapes, are now recorded digitally. Videos of each group’s performance can be provided to directors online in a timely fashion.

As a member of the Marching Classic leadership team since 2008, there are, at most, two months in the year when Les is not taking care of business for the event. Band directors are contacted already in December or January to “save the date.” On-line registration starts shortly after that. Band registration details, photos, information for the digital program, must all be collected, assembled, proofread, and finally published.

“For the three to four weeks prior to the classic, I often spend two or three hours a day making sure things are ready,” says Les.

The day of the parade, he manages band setup, ensuring buses follow a safe entry and exit pattern to the parade start location, making certain every group finds its assigned area, getting bands in the right places to take their turns in the parade.

Which is why it’s unusual for the Tlougans that they will actually be sitting still, watching in comfort as each of the bands performs its routine.

Those performances are something they’ve built an appreciation for thanks to their long association with the Classic.

“You learn what to watch for,” says Les. “You get a chance to see the groups develop and mature year after year. 

“In some cases, it’s fun to watch bands come back each year a bit stronger, until you can see they’ve built something that’s quite remarkable.  It sends a tingle going down your spine when they hit that special note or routine that thrills the crowd.”

It is moments like those, along with the camaraderie and tradition, perhaps, which keep the Tlougans coming back. 

 Those moments also keep the Tlougans hoping more and more newcomers will join the Marching Classic leadership team. “This is something very special for our bands and for our community,” comments Karen. 

“We need folks to step in and learn the ropes so this amazing event can keep going into the future.” 

As for the Tlougans, after their moments of glory and comfort, they know exactly what will follow.

“It will be back to work,” says Les, who will be setting up the  sound system at Trowbridge Park for the parade awards ceremony. “After that, some of the drum majors will probably need rides to get back to their bands, so that is my transport job,” says Karen.

“There are many jobs for many people and these just happen to be ours. Business as usual, playing our part in making sure the day goes as smoothly as possible.”