Every March, half a million people line the streets of Dublin for Ireland's national parade. Marching bands have been part of it for years. We are pleased to bring the same opportunity for Baton Twirling Teams and Color Guard.
ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE
01
IRELAND
A small country that is remarkably easy to travel in. English-speaking, welcoming to visiting groups almost to a fault, and compact enough that you can be standing on a cliff above the Atlantic a few hours after leaving the capital. Direct flights from most major US gateways get you there overnight.
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DUBLIN
A walkable, friendly capital city on the east coast, Georgian squares, the River Liffey, Trinity College and the Book of Kells, live music in the evenings, and a compact centre where a group can get around on foot. Comfortable to bring young performers to, and full of things to fill the days either side of the parade.
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THE PARADE
The St Patrick's Day Parade is the centrepiece of a multi-day national festival. It runs through the heart of Dublin on 17 March, from Parnell Square down O'Connell Street and on through the city, watched by roughly half a million people packed along the route, and by many more at home. Thousands take part: Irish community groups, pageant companies, and a select number of international marching units invited from abroad.
For a performer, it is not a local parade with a bigger crowd. It is a different order of experience entirely.
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POST PARADE
After the parade, leave the city behind and spend a few days exploring the beauty of rural Ireland. Every aspect of your post parade trip can be custom designed to suit your members budget and time frame.
Some groups will elect to spend a few days together exploring other parts of Ireland before some fly home and others elect to stay a little longer.
Even other cities such as Edinburgh, London and Paris are options.
HOW THE PARADE EXPERIENCE CAN BENEFIT YOUR CORPS
01
A World Stage
Your athletes train all year for gym floors and judging panels. This is different. There is no score sheet on O'Connell Street, just a wall of people, deep on both sides, who have come out specifically to watch. Twirlers who have done it describe it as the single biggest audience of their lives, and the moment they stopped thinking of themselves as "a kid who does baton" and started thinking of themselves as a performer.
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Club Benefits
Directors tell us the same thing about international travel: it changes retention. A trip on the horizon gives twirlers at the awkward ages, the ones who start weighing baton against every other activity, so a concrete reason to stay. It gives your beginners something to aspire to, it gives your seniors a send-off worth training for, and it gives you something to talk about that no other program in your area is offering.
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Multi-Generational
Parents, grandparents, siblings and friends of the club are welcome to travel with the group. In practice, this is one of the most important things about the way we build these programs. Families see their twirlers perform in a place they will never forget, the traveling party gets big enough to make the economics work, and the parents who come home from Ireland tend to become the most committed people in your booster organisation. Adult travelers can share the group's sightseeing days or explore on their own; we build the itinerary to make both easy.
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Fundraising
"We're going to Ireland to march in the St Patrick's Day Parade" is a fundraising message that opens doors. Local businesses respond to it. Newspapers and TV stations cover it. Service clubs and civic organizations, particularly those with Irish-American connections will often get behind it in a way they never would for a routine competition trip. And because groups are typically selected well in advance, there is real time to raise money properly rather than in a panic.
Questions? We have some Answers.
What is the Application Process?
We can guide you through the entire process and its quite straightforward. The Director will complete an application form which we provide. It will request background information on your corp, any previous parade experience and some images and ideally a video if you have it. Select will then submit the application for you. Typically we receive an answer within a week or two.
Costumes and Equipment Requirements
The parade office will ask for a design of your costume which should be submitted for approval prior to costume prodution. Thats it. For music, we highly recommend allowing the parade office to pair you with a marching band and that you march in front of them. We always introduce your artistic director to the band director months in advance so you can agree the music program. Typically you will be paired with another US university level band.
How Far in Advance Should We Apply?
Twirling and Color Guard are typically a little easier to accommodate. We can occasionally be successful in securing an invitation 1 year prior. But we do suggest a minimum of 2 years prior. This normally works well as it takes time for you to prepare your members to travel.
I am Interested in Exploring this Further. What should I do now?
Simply click on the Contact Us buttons, tell us a little bit about your corp and tell us how you would like to be contacted and we can chat with you further. We can also quickly provide you with some sample programs and approximate costs.
What Does Select Provide for Us?
We provide all of the travel and parade services in Ireland. This includes, accommodation (typically hotels), group meals, sightseeing activities transportation, tour managers and logistics staff, all correspondence and coordination with the parade office.
Can you Provide Airline Arrangements?
Yes we can, both group airline travel and individual trips. There are some logistics you need to be aware of and we will talk you through those to see what works best for you.
Can You Give Me Rough Idea of Cost?
Every trip is of course custom designed and much depends upon how long you want to spend in Ireland and how much you want to plan for your members versus time they spend on their own sightseeing. But you should think of a price in the region of $2,500pp plus airfare. But again, pricing can vary depending upon trip design. Keep in mind you might want to offer a short "base package" for everyone and then offer the option to extend for those who wish. Bottom line is we're flexible.
How Many Members Can we Bring?
The short answer is that there isn't really a minimum of maximum number. The smaller number is perhaps 60-70 travelers with an upper number of 200+. Keep in mind this includes both performers as well as staff, family and friends. All are welcome. Performing groups are usually in the 25-75 range.
Is there a Competitive Element to the Parade?
No. The parade is an opportunity to relax and enjoy the experience without the concern of competing.
Are there Other Performance Opportunities?
Yes. Typically we are able to arrange additional opportunities during your trip.
Safety and Supervision
Ireland is typically a very safe destination. Select staff will be on the ground to assist you. In addition we work with an independent risk management company in the event of any geo political event while you are away.
We also highly recommend that you bring a suitable number of your own staff, chaperones and family members to ensure your young members in particular are appropriately supervised.
I Have More Questions, Can I Talk to Someone?
Yes. We would love to chat to you. To get a conversation started, we suggest you email us here and we'll set up a suitable time to reach out.
Tell me More About Select Travel Service
Select Travel Service is a tour company with its own offices located in the United Kingdom and New Jersey USA. We have been in business since 1933 with only 3 changes of ownership.
We work exclusively with custom group trips into the UK, Ireland and Western Europe. Many are performing arts related, but also faith based, athletic programs as well as university study abroad trips. Our head office is in the UK, with staffed offices elsewhere in Europe plus our own office in the US which will be your primary point of contact prior to your trip departing.
Do you Have References from Other Twirling Trips?
Yes. We will be happy to put you in touch with other directors who can tell you about their experience working with us, as well as their time in Ireland.