It小蝌蚪APP檚 all over but the marching. And, the freezing cold temperatures. UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP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小蝌蚪APP檚 Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The 280-member band is the only band in Louisiana to be accepted into the parade on its小蝌蚪APP first try.
小蝌蚪APP It小蝌蚪APP檚 just mind blowing at this point,小蝌蚪APP said Brian Taylor, director of the Pride of Acadiana. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 almost too much to absorb.小蝌蚪APP
Taylor applied to Macy小蝌蚪APP檚 in February. He received acceptance two months later and later told band members. He made five members of the band unscramble the word 小蝌蚪APP淢acy小蝌蚪APP檚小蝌蚪APP written in icing on five large cookie cakes.
小蝌蚪APP I told the band we had a special performance opportunity,小蝌蚪APP said Taylor.
It小蝌蚪APP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小蝌蚪APP 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 小蝌蚪APP楤ig Chief小蝌蚪APP and 小蝌蚪APP楳oneymaker.小蝌蚪APP 小蝌蚪APP榃inter Wonderful小蝌蚪APP 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 小蝌蚪APP榃hen the Saints Go Marching In,小蝌蚪APP 小蝌蚪APP極n the Sunny Side of the Street小蝌蚪APP and 小蝌蚪APP楽outh Rampart Street Parade.小蝌蚪APP The band will exit with 小蝌蚪APP楽leigh Ride小蝌蚪APP to add some holiday fun in the mix.
Celeste Adams, a sophomore flute player from New Orleans, said this is the 小蝌蚪APP減arade of all parades.小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP It小蝌蚪APP檚 so exciting to be a part of this,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淓verybody in the band works so hard and everyone is so helpful.小蝌蚪APP
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.