The overall experience was quite enjoyable. The accommodations were impeccable, the sightseeing was memorable, and the chance to march in the Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was an honor to have the chance to participate. It was especially rewarding for the band to march down Constitution Aenue, going past the south lawn of the White House. It was exhilarating to hear the parade-watchers clap as the band finished playing!

Janie Turck
Corresponding Secretary of the Collinsville High School Band Parents Association

Wow! What a fantastic day. There is no better experience than to spend the Fourth of July in our nation’s capital. The parade was incredible, must have been 200,000 people lining the parade route. The band marched and played fantastic and made Stuttgart proud. It was an experience I will never forget.

Kevin Sherman, Band Director
Stuttgart High School

Congratulations to all of the bands accepted to participate in the official 2011 National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C.!

Archbishop Riordan Crusader Marching Band
San Francisco, CA

Clinton Senior High Marching Band
Clinton, WI

Collinsville High School Marching Band
Collinsville, IL

Drury High School Marching Band
North Adams, MA

Galena Grizzley Marching Band
Reno, NV

Gallatin High School Bulldog Pride Band
Gallatin, MO

Green Lake High School Marching Band
Green Lake, WI

Mountain Crest High School Marching Band
Hyrum, UT

Mukwonago High School Band
Mukwonago, WI

Murphysboro High School Crimson Express
Murphysboro, IL

New Diana Eagle Band
Diana, TX

North Brunswick High School Marching Band
Leland, NC

South San Francisco Warrior Band
South San Francisco, CA

Stuttgart High School Marching Band
Stuttgart, AR

The Pride of Piqua Marching Band
Piqua, OH

Vinton-Shellsburg High School Marching Band
Vinton, IA

Watertown High School Marching Band
Watertown, WI

A Capital performance

The Buffalo Choral Arts Society will produce some vocal fireworks in Washington, D.C. this Independence Day.

This was an amazing experience. Even though it was our second time representing the state of Wisconsin, there were so many new experiences this time around. I highly recommend it to anybody and everybody. Every band student needs to say they performed in our Nation’s Independence Day Parade in Washington D.C. This truly can be the most Powerful Life Changing Experience of their life.

Greg Forton, Director
Hortonville High School Marching Band

Thanks for all your work on our trip! The parade was fantastic and I will always be proud of the band earning the invitation. This was the best trip I have ever been associated with. Great job by all companies and contracted individuals. Everyone was so polite and professional.

THANKS AGAIN!!

James Nuss, Director

Thank you for the experience of a lifetime!! I cried as we marched down the street! This was an absolute joy!! Nothing could have been better. It was incredible to walk down Constitutional Avenue on the 4th of July and have all the spectators cheer for our band!!

Dawn Hayes, Co-President

The National Independence Day Parade was the greatest experience for our kids. It was the biggest parade we have ever performed in and the crowds were amazing. All the support staff was very helpful and friendly all the way down the parade. This was the highpoint in the history of our band.

We had over 100 parents/familes come down to DC from Torrington for the parade. They were waving CT and Torrington flags and had tears in their eyes when we marched by. - Simply a once in a lifetime experience.

This is the third time I have worked with [parade organizer] Music Celebrations (MCI) - 1998, 2006 and 2010. Everyone at MCI is simply amazing. The great part about everyone is that they understand high school bands, schools, etc., and are willing to work with any issues that come up. From the very beginning of the process all the way to the parade day they were easy to work with. Every question I had they would answer within the same day and always friendly. I would work with MCI every year if I could!

Thank you for everything!

Wayne Splettstoeszer, Band Director
Torrington High School

The Parade exceeded all my expectations. The performance at the WWII Memorial was the most awesome experience for me. We were given a place of honor to play, and had plenty of time for our concert. When we started playing, I just felt as if we were playing for all those people who were involved in WWII, including my father. It was a humbling experience. It was absolutely beautiful and unforgettable. The entire tour was very well-planned. Everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for making our weekend in DC so special. It is very much appreciated by everyone in our band.

Karen Fitzgerald, Director
Wichita Caledonian Pipes & Drums Band

Congratulations to all of the bands accepted to participate in the official 2010 National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C.!

Alpine High School Fightin’ Buck Band
Chuck Wilson, Director
Alpine, TX

Almar-Parish-Williamstown HS Marching Rebels
Janet Fiacco, Director
Parish, NY

Atchison High School Marching Band
Aaron Edwards, Director
Atchison, KS

The California Repercussions
Doug McHaney, Director
Northern California

Cedar Shoals High School Classic City Sound
Dion A. Muldrow, Director
Athens, GA

Colby High School Marching Eagles
Joey Nickols, Director
Colby, KS

Dublin High School “Fightin Irish” Band
James Nuss, Director
Dublin, GA

Emporia High School Marching Pride
Robert Haselhuhn, Director
Emporia, KS

F.L. Schlagle High School Marching Band
Reginald L. May, Director
Kansas City, KS

Franklin County High School Marching Pride
Brad Maffett, Director
Carnesville, GA

Henry Sibley High School Marching Band
Clayton Browne, Director
Mendota Heights, MN

Highland High School Marching Highlanders
Ryan Christian, Director
Ewing, MO

Hortonville High School Polar Bear Marching Band
Gregory Forton, Director
Hortonville, WI

Lewisburg Area High School Marching Dragons
Justin Hill, Director
Lewisburg, PA

Minerva High School Pride of Minerva
Derrick Maxey, Director
Minerva, OH

Peninsula High School Seahawks Marching Band
Rickey Badua, Director
Gig Harbor, WA

Seattle All-City Band
Marcus Pimpleton, Director
Seattle, WA

Spiro High School Pride of Eastern Oklahoma
Amy Simmons, Director
Sprio, OK

Springdale High School Marching Bulldog Band
Russell Robinson, Director
Springdale, AR

Torrington High School Marching Band
Wayne Splettstoeszer, Director
Torrington, CT

Union Pines High School Marching Vikings
Rob Hill, Director
Cameron, NC

Wayne High School Red Regime Marching Band
Brian Dunfee, Director
Wayne, WV

Wichita Caledonian Pipes & Drums Band
Karen Fitzgerald, Director
Wichita, KS

Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell had recommended 5 elite marching bands in the state of Connecticut for the 2009 National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. Of those 5 recommended bands, the Portland High School Marching Band accepted their invitation to perform to not only represent their school, but their community, state, and the United States in the celebration of America’s 233rd birthday! Under the direction of Kristin Novak, they made the dream become a reality.

Click HERE to read more…

I was very pleased with the experience of marching in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. I think it was great that our students were able to see all of the landmarks, then march through them with a large crowd watching. I think it gave them a better perspective of how big the crowd was since they had seen the area without that many people. The weather worked out great as well.

Florence Hall (tour escort) was INCREDIBLE! I don’t know if there is a way you can clone her and send her with all of your groups, but she is the best tour guide I have ever had. She was always courteous and extremely knowledgeable. She was patient with the students and adults, and she worked well with our bus drivers. She did a great job of listening, and always sought out my opinion.

My personal highlight was being able to do the wreath ceremony at Arlington Cemetery. It was a tremendous honor to be able to participate in such a dignified, reverent ceremony. I think for the performers, they enjoyed several things. First, I think many of them enjoyed the parade. Second, many of them enjoyed the Capitol 4th Concert with the National Symphony, invited guest artists, and the tremendous fireworks show. Last, but not least, many of them had become tired of going in museum after museum until we arrived at the Air and Space Museum. At the Air and Space Museum, several of our students had the opportunity to meet the instructor of the Tuskeegee Airmen, and were able to take pictures with him and get his autograph. At that point, many of them thanked us for bringing them to Washington D.C.

It was an overall wonderful tour experience and I would be happy to serve as a reference for Music Celebrations International.

Jason Venable
Zachary High School Band

The trip was absolutely fabulous! The tour guides, the hotel, the bus operators…everyone went out of their way to make this a great experience for my students. I really appreciate all the ground work you did to make this happen so smoothly!

Joe Trusty
Director
Cabot High School Band

I just wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful time in Washington, D.C., marching in the National Independence Day Parade. We greatly appreciate the tour you set up for us. The bus drivers were wonderful, the hotel was superb, the meals were great, and our tour guides were excellent! The entire trip was so smooth and well planned that all we had to do was sit back and enjoy the sites!! All the chaperones were very impressed with the trip and how well- orchestrated it was. Thanks again for all of your help. It has been a pleasure working with you!

Kathy Nicholas
Olympia High School Music Parent

Our group’s trip to Washington for the National Independence Day Parade was a fantastic experience for everyone. Our thoughts before we began our trip was that our itinerary was very ambitious. Wow! We were so wrong. The Parade was definitely the highlight of our trip as our group proudly marched past so many historic sites to the cheers of the thousands of spectators. We could sense the awe from each of them as they marched past the White House and had the Washington Monument in their view.

All the pieces fell so smoothly into place including the buses, the hotel and our meals. Our tour guides guided us effortlessly through crowds. We ended our trip on a high note with the Capitol Fourth Concert and the fireworks on July 4th followed by our performance at the Jefferson Memorial the next morning. Our twirlers had the thrill of performing in the Nation’s Capitol as well as an incredible educational experience. Thank you to the wonderful staff of Musical Celebrations for the passion you have for creating special memories for so many of our young people. We are so grateful for your planning our trip perfectly.

Many thanks!

Barbara Kupras
Kristi Ochs
Directors, Belchertown Twirlers

The Belchertown Twirlers have been selected to represent the State of Massachusetts in the 2009 National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. on July 4th. The twirlers will be joining government officials, national military units, sponsored floats, helium balloons and other specialty units in this major national event.

Ms. Barbara Kupras and Ms. Kristi Kupras Ochs, the directors, were informed of this honor based on the decision of the National Selection Committee, which considered and reviewed the twirling group’s application materials and determined the twirling group will be an excellent representative of Massachusetts. The Belchertown Twirlers received a Governor’s Proclamation from Governor Patrick Deval commending the Twirlers on their selection to represent Massachusetts in this prestigious National Parade.

The parade route is on historical Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets. A street audience of hundreds of thousands of spectators is anticipated. The National Park Service and the National Independence Day Parade TM are the co-sponsors of this event.

The traditional parade will be a reflection of many American patriotic themes, historical and present, but the major emphasis in 2009 will be Abraham Lincoln’s Bicentennial.

The twirling group will be in Washington, D.C. from July 2-5, 2009 during which time a complete program of sightseeing and other cultural activities will be part of the experience. The Belchertown Twirlers will also perform in front of the Jefferson Memorial on Friday, July 3rd.

“We also just got notified that we have been selected to stop at the Reviewing Stand for a 2 minute performance. Only 4 groups in the entire parade were selected so we are very proud of the twirlers,” said Kupras.

Following the parade on July 4th, they will join several hundred thousand tourists who enjoy the televised performance of the National Symphony in front of the U.S. Capitol Building and the spectacular fireworks display.

The Claxton Tiger High School Marching Band from Georgia, who recently performed in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C., was able to get an oil company to donate 50 gallons of gasoline (as well, the band purchased an additional 50 gallons - for a total of 100) and sold raffle tickets for $1 a piece. Over the course of two weeks, they sold over 3,000 tickets. What a great way to offer relief at the pump, as well as to raise funds for the band!