The Amador Valley High School Marching Band began in 1928 with 23 students. The band has since grown to more than 300 members each year, making the Marching Dons the largest single campus activity and one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious marching bands in the state of California.

Amador's Marching Band & Color Guard has been a Western Band Association State Finalist every pre-pandemic year since 2005 and is consistently named a Bands of America Regional Finalist. The band appeared in the London New Year’s Day Parade in 2005 and 2009. In 2019, Amador finished first in its division at the Fiesta Bowl National Marching Band Competition.

For the Fall 2023 season, weeklong band camp took place July 31 to Aug 8. Once school starts (Aug 10), practices are Mondays and Wednesdays 5-8pm and some Saturdays 9am-4pm. The Marching Dons perform at home football games (some Friday nights), Saturday field show competitions (Oct 21, 28; Nov 4, 11) and compete at WBA State Championships (Nov 18 and 19 in northern California).

Band students need to enroll in a year-long concert band course. Color guard members practice after school and join all band practices, football games and competitions. 

After marching season, interested students can join Winter Percussion or Winter Guard (Dec-Apr).

Musicians and guard members who complete two seasons of marching band (or fall season plus Winter Guard) receive a waiver for 10th grade P.E.