Photo provided by Sebastian River High School Marching Sharks
Members of a local high school band will get to showcase their musicianship while marching in the much anticipated 2019 New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The Sebastian River High School’s Marching Sharks will depart March 14 to New York City. During the five-day trip, band members will march in the parade and experience the sights and sounds of the Big Apple, school officials said.
“We have been planning this trip for over a year now, and our students can’t wait to experience everything the Big Apple has to offer,” Marching Sharks Director Ashby Goldstein said in a statement. “The parade and the entire trip will surely be the experience of a lifetime for our students. We are so proud to represent Sebastian River High School and our wonderful surrounding community.”
NYC’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the world, school officials said. The parade will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 16 along 5th Avenue, between 44th Street and 79th Street.
The Marching Sharks are also celebrating 25 years, known as the “Silver Anniversary,” officials said. Throughout those years, the Marching Sharks have set a high standard for marching bands across the country.
The band’s many accomplishments caught the attention of the NYC’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade selection committee. Some of those recognitions include Grand Champions at the First Coast Invitational in Ponte Vedra, FL; Grand Champions at the Crown Jewel Festival Marching Competition in Vero Beach; 2nd runner up at the Cypress Bay Thunder Invitational in Weston; FL, and a straight Superior rating at the Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment.
“We are so fortunate that we get to witness the incredible performances of the Marching Sharks all of the time,” School District of Indian River County Superintendent Mark Rendell said. “What a great treat it will be for those attending the parade in New York City to see – and hear – these talented young musicians.”
The parade will be broadcast live on NBCNewYork.com.