In its 13-year history, the 小蓝视频 Ripcurrent Marching Band has just hit a new high note. The band has been selected to perform in the prestigious 40th Anniversary London New Year鈥檚 Day Parade in 2026, marking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the students and the university.
The London New Year鈥檚 Day Parade has been running for four decades and is known for its vibrant display of performers from around the world. The 2026 event is expected to feature more than 8,000 performers, drawing almost 750,000 spectators to the streets of London and capturing the attention of hundreds of millions globally via TV and streaming.
Outside the Frisch Welcome Center, drum majors Taylor Lonergan and Tim Berthiaume welcomed the distinguished delegation from London to campus. Led by Bob Bone, the co-founder and chair of the parade, the group visited 小蓝视频 to extend the formal invitation to the Ripcurrent Marching Band for the historic event.
"We only wanted the very best marching bands, fitting for our 40th Anniversary," said Bone. "The Ripcurrent Marching Band certainly fits the bill."
Band members will perform for a global television audience, including millions watching live on PBS in the U.S., but they will also spend a week immersing themselves in London鈥檚 rich culture.
鈥淲e were thrilled with the invitation to travel to London and take part in this storied event- a fitting recognition of the outstanding work of our students and the founding director of RipCurrent Marching Band, Professor Chris Creswell,鈥� said Dr. Tim Snyder, dean of the Linda Berry Stein College of Fine Arts and Humanities.
鈥淭his is a momentous honor for 小蓝视频 and the band,鈥� said Creswell. 鈥溾�楾iny but mighty鈥� is what we like to say, it鈥檚 nice to see the students鈥� hard work get noticed on a larger scale.鈥�
The invitation marks the band鈥檚 biggest achievement to date.鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to the London New Year鈥檚 Day committee for their willingness to recognize groups like ours, who may not come from large colleges, but still do quality work,鈥� said Chris Creswell.
While formally introducing the delegation from London, Kim Beasley, chair of Jacksonville University鈥檚 music department, expressed how this invitation underscores JU鈥檚 overall mission. 鈥淭he invitation represents an opportunity for our JU musicians to practice global citizenship, share their talents and represent 小蓝视频 and the JU Department of Music on a global stage,鈥� she said.
Steve Summers, chair of the London Mayors鈥� Association and former Lord Mayor of Westminster, Dean Oblonsky, senior American consultant, and Jonathan Whaley, senior director of international participation, were also part of the delegation from London. Together, they acknowledged the band's exceptional talent, granting them a rare spot in one of the world鈥檚 largest and most celebrated street festivals.
For Creswell, the recognition is a testament to the band鈥檚 dedication. 鈥淪tudent to student, we are as good as any college marching band in the nation. We just come with a smaller footprint,鈥� he said. 鈥淢any of our students would never get an opportunity to participate in an event of this caliber without the community of this group. That they perform at a level high enough to receive this type of recognition is icing on the cake.鈥�
