Winter Guard International (WGI) is a visual performing arts organization that hosts regional and national competitions for color guard (known as winter guard) and indoor percussion ensembles. Contests are held in the U.S. and Canada. WGI headquarters is located in Dayton, Ohio.
Emerging from the indoor color guard activity, WGI was founded in San Francisco, California in 1977 by Don Angelica from New Jersey, Shirlee Whitcomb from Southern California, Stanley Knaub from Seattle, Washington, Bryan Johnston from Chicago, Illinois, Marie Czapinski from Chicago, Illinois, and Lynn Lindstrom from Arlington Heights, Illinois. Together they created the first division of WGI, the color guard division. The second division, indoor percussion, would not be established until 1992.
WGI was created as a competitive vehicle for the performing arts. The organization sets standardized rules and criteria, provides educational clinics and resources, and manages competitions on a regional, national, and international scale.