Fayetteville High School Band Heads To Orlando

 STAFF PHOTO J.T. Wampler Josh Caperton readies his trombone for travel before boarding the bus.
STAFF PHOTO J.T. Wampler Josh Caperton readies his trombone for travel before boarding the bus.

FAYETTEVILLE -- A group of students from Fayetteville High School are on their way to spend Thanksgiving marching down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

The 160-member marching band will join Tinkerbell, Cinderella and other Disney characters for the Electrical Parade at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. The parade is not televised.

A trip to Disney World isn't new for many band members, but they are still excited.

"I'm looking forward to the parade, my first parade," said Calli Jaques, 16, who plays the clarinet. The band will perform "Jingle Bell Jam" in the parade.

Drum major Cindy Elizarraras, 16, said she is excited to visit Disney World for the fourth time and she isn't bothered spending the holiday away from home and her family. "I'll be having a great Thanksgiving with my band family."

The band left by charter buses at 3 p.m. Sunday and will arrive in Orlando in time for lunch today, said Barry Harper, band director.

They will spend the week visiting Disney Hollywood Studios, Epcot Center, Disney's Animal Kingdom, as well as the Magic Kingdom. They also will receive the same orientation future Disney employees receive about the do's and don'ts of working at the theme park.

The group plans to have dinner tonight at the Hard Rock Cafe and attend a performance of the Blue Man Group at Universal Studios.

The group will have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday night, Harper said.

The band last performed at Disney World in 1998, Harper said. The group usually takes a major trip every three years and has been to the Tournament of Roses Parade in California and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. The band went to St. Louis in October to the Bands of America competition.

In between trips, band members raise money by parking cars during football and basketball seasons, working cleanup during the Bikes, Blues & BBQ festival, and setting rented chair back stadium seats in Razorback Stadium.

Each student had to pay $1,050 for the trip.

"I'm very excited," said Brock DeMark, 18, a senior who plays clarinet. "This is my first big trip. It's something I've never done before."

The group also includes about 10 chaperones. The band returns to Fayetteville about 2 p.m. Saturday.

NW News on 11/24/2014

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