It杏吧专区檚 all over but the marching. And, the freezing cold temperatures. UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 Pride of Acadiana Marching Band held a final rehearsal Friday afternoon before they head off to the Big Apple for the 79th annual Macy杏吧专区檚 Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The 280-member band is the only band in Louisiana to be accepted into the parade on its杏吧专区 first try.
杏吧专区 It杏吧专区檚 just mind blowing at this point,杏吧专区 said Brian Taylor, director of the Pride of Acadiana. 杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 almost too much to absorb.杏吧专区
Taylor applied to Macy杏吧专区檚 in February. He received acceptance two months later and later told band members. He made five members of the band unscramble the word 杏吧专区淢acy杏吧专区檚杏吧专区 written in icing on five large cookie cakes.
杏吧专区 I told the band we had a special performance opportunity,杏吧专区 said Taylor.
It杏吧专区檚 a very special opportunity. The Pride of Acadiana Marching Band will be the sixth band in the parade. They will follow the Big Apple Float which is featuring New Orleans杏吧专区 Krewe of Orpheus along with NYPD officers and FDNY rescue workers in a special musical salute to New Orleans.
The band will play several Cajun tunes during the main part of the parade as it travels down Broadway including 杏吧专区楤ig Chief杏吧专区 and 杏吧专区楳oneymaker.杏吧专区 杏吧专区榃inter Wonderful杏吧专区 is also on the playlist.
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Taylor said a special arrangement will be played for the NBC exclusive area -- Herald Square. The arrangement is a combination of 杏吧专区榃hen the Saints Go Marching In,杏吧专区 杏吧专区極n the Sunny Side of the Street杏吧专区 and 杏吧专区楽outh Rampart Street Parade.杏吧专区 The band will exit with 杏吧专区楽leigh Ride杏吧专区 to add some holiday fun in the mix.
Celeste Adams, a sophomore flute player from New Orleans, said this is the 杏吧专区減arade of all parades.杏吧专区
杏吧专区 It杏吧专区檚 so exciting to be a part of this,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淓verybody in the band works so hard and everyone is so helpful.杏吧专区
In addition to performing in the parade, the band will also tour the city and perform on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier museum. Following the parade, members will take a dinner cruise around Manhattan Island.
The next day, students plan on sight-seeing. Some will attend Broadway shows and others will see the New York Philharmonic. The group will return to Lafayette Nov. 27.
The total cost of the trip is $250,000. Students will each pay about $150. Taylor said the band has also gotten financial support from some UL Lafayette alumni.