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**Update December 17: Here is the updated itinerary for the trip!

 https://files.constantcontact.com/93fa0556701/f48bc464-c597-442d-bf7e-6d59e1265ee9.pdf 

Welcome Friends and Family of the Gibson County Mass Band to your amazing journey to Southern California and the (now) 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade. What an honor for your students to be selected and Congratulations again!

This trip site is for Friends and Family of the band. Students and staff, as well as APPROVED Chaperones by the band directors (You should know who you are) have their own site listed separately. You can access that here: MARCHING MEMBER BOOKING SITE

If you have questions relating to the band, please contact your local band contact. If you have questions relating to the trip, click the "contact trip coordinator" and we'll be back with you typically within a day or two. For immediate emergency assistance, call our number below 9-4PM EST. Most answers, please, let's do via the "Contact the Organizer" button or email me direct at Lee@usafest.org

A fun-filled performance driven itinerary awaits you and your students in Southern California for this granddaddy of all parades. 

Performing Arts Consultants has taken the best bands to their BIGGEST events for thirty-eight years and we look forward to guiding you through sunny Southern California in 2021/2022.

Your Friends and Family itinerary to the Tournament of Roses Parade with PAC includes the items listed below and is designed to give you a great balance between time with your students and free time to explore on your own.

Whereas transportation to the parade is included, grandstand seats are not and may be purchased as an option. THIS IS A STRONGLY RECOMMENDED OPTION as the parade is the reason for the trip! Others will be able to watch the parade along the streets.

This trip will evolve with additional OPTIONAL activities being added this Spring/Summer to help you enjoy Southern California!

A $50.00 non-refundable is due at the time of booking. Extras (Knott's Berry Farm and Grandstand Tickets for the parade; future City Tour (not yet available) need by paid in full at the time of reservation (but are refundable up to 91 days before the trip). After that, your payment plans are as follows (and the amount varies as to the room packages you choose).

March 1, 2021: 25% of the balance

June 1, 2021: 25% of the balance

September 1, 2021: 25% of the balance

November 1, 2021: 25% of the balance

You can pay ahead, even just a few dollars, anytime you want to here at WeTravel.

Thank you for trusting YOUR BIG EVENT to the student music tour company that has been to them all, Performing Arts Consultants.

Lee Lafleur

www.usafest.org

Your Friends and Family trip to the Rose Parade with the Gibson County Mass Band includes includes everything you see here:

♫ 6 Nights’ Hotel accommodations at Newport Beach Marriott Bayview Hotel

♫ Chartered Motor coach transfers from hotel to venues included

♫ Chartered Motor coach on day of Parade (Grandstand seats available as option!)

♫ Transportation and Admission to Bandfest 

♫ Transportation and Admission to the Float Barn

♫ 1 Day Park Hopper pass to Disneyland/California Adventure Featuring Gibson County Mass Band Rose Parade Band Performance (and transportation)

♫ Farewell Dinner 

♫ Dinner Cruise on board Hornblower Cruises 

♫ Performing Arts Consultants representatives at your hotel

* Itinerary is tentative and dates and times of events may change according to availability.  

* Only the inclusions listed above are included in the Friends and Family price  

* Per person price does not include air transportation  

* Hotel staff can help with your other “on your own” activities

PAC will explore additional excursion opportunities for you in Southern California if there is enough interest (coming in 2021)

Not Included in our Friends and Family Trip (or available for an extra cost):

• Airfare

• Airport transportation

• Misc Ground transportation unless specifically identified

• Meals unless specifically identified

• Knott’s Berry farm day with the band & transportation (can be added here!)

* Grandstand Ticket for the Rose Parade (can be added here!)

• General sightseeing (listed items are as recommendation only)

Please read EVERYTHING before you complete your booking!

Orchestrating School Music Tours With Memories to Last A Lifetime

For over 33 years, Performing Arts Consultants have orchestrated premier school music tours for junior high, senior high, and college-level students, providing the opportunity to perform in excellent concert facilities with America’s most dedicated adjudicators and music clinicians.

Specializing in music, sightseeing, social events, and fun, our school music tours serve as the annual highlight of music programs across the nation. Performing Arts Consultants is proud to be recognized as the festival company “in tune with your music program.”

www.usafest.org

CANCELLATION POLICY In consideration of non-refundable payments made by Performing Arts Consultants to tour operators, land operators, airlines and other agents associated with travel and/or festival arrangements, accommodations and/or services, the following will apply: 

✓ 60-46 DAYS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE – a $50.00 per person cancellation fee PLUS any cancellation charges and non-refundable payments levied by the various vendors mentioned above  (including to the hotel, charter air company, theme parks, and entertainment/dining venues).  

✓ 45-31 DAYS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE – a $100.00 per person cancellation fee PLUS any cancellation charges and non-refundable payments levied by the various vendors mentioned above  (including to the hotel, charter air company, theme parks, and entertainment/dining venues).  

✓ 30 DAYS OR LESS DAYS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE – Absolutely NO refunds will be granted PAYMENT POLICY Upon receipt of your invoice, please mark the payment dates on your calendar to maintain a punctual payment schedule. 

Please make ALL checks payable to: PERFORMING ARTS CONSULTANTS 

**We have secured 150 or so prime bleacher seats for the parade along Colorado Boulevard and the TV turn as well as proximity parking for 3 buses (150 capacity).  These are available "first come first served" for the parade. The bands typically always play along this stretch of the route.

Everyone will be transported to the parade as part of your package and you are more than welcome to secure sidewalk viewing by walking from the buses, but with the crowds and the once in a lifetime opportunity to see and photograph your student(s) in the mass band!

If demand is greater than 110 tickets (there are 300 or so friends and family travelers), PAC will take refundable deposits for additional seats in these grandstands.

Please, if you've been waiting for the grandstand seats, make your purchases asap!

Optional, but you MIGHT want to consider Trip Insurance to protect your investment in both airfare and lodging, etc, with your Rose Parade experience.

PAC in not a licensed insurance agent and Friends and Family are not eligible for the same insurance plans as are those on the student trip. We recommend the Retail Insurance products at Travel Insured (travelinsured.com). Visit their website, or any travel insurance company of your choosing, to find the plan best for you!

 Monday, December 27: Depart for California on your choice of airlines from either Nashville or Memphis (airfare on your own). You can book on a variety of travel sites such as Southwest.com, Travelocity, Kayak, or similar.

Welcome to Southern California! 

Share a ride with other “friends and family” or rent a car and check into the beautiful Newport Beach Marriott Bayview Hotel (or similar).

PAC recommends you rent a car for this trip so you can enjoy meals out and about somewhere other than your hotel. Uber fares from LAX to the hotel run $50-$60 each way which way pay the lion's share of your rental car bill, especially if you share a car with another family!

The closest airport to Newport Beach is John Wayne Airport (but usually the most expensive). You can also fly to LAX, Burbank, or even Ontario but be mindful of the transportation distance (and cost) to the hotel! You MIGHT choose to rent a car for your stay!

Tuesday, December 28: While your band students are rehearsing and enjoying the Santa Monica Pier, there’s a lot of choices for you nearby including:

· The wonderful shopping at Fashion Island and/or enjoy the sights, sounds and waterfront Activities on beautiful Balboa Island. Both just minutes from your hotel at Newport Beach!

· The Farmers Market! Launched in 1934, Farmers Market became the central meeting place for Angelenos! Today, “Meet me at 3rd and Fairfax” is one of the most common phrases in southern California. According to the L.A. Times, Farmers Market is the #1 place in L.A. to spot celebrities! The market features shops and eateries and its 1941 clock tower is now a world–famous icon. 

· LA Sightseeing Possibilities: Visit Olvera Street, a historic monument in the oldest Part of Los Angeles, is Free to the Public! Learn about the culture, history, museums, and fiestas! Drive through the posh Beverly Hills and Bel-Air Estates areas to get a glimpse of the homes of some of Hollywood’s stars. Continue along famous Rodeo Drive where beautiful mansions and exclusive shops showcase the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

See Mann’s Chinese Theater where stars’ hands or footprints have been immortalized. Some have imprinted their trademarks (John Wayne’s fist and Jimmy Durante’s nova) while others have left personal messages. The Hollywood Bowl and Sunset Strip are places that might also be of interest. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library In a storied career that spanned more than five decades, Ronald Reagan inspired Americans to act and achieve even more than they imagined. His legacy thrives at The Reagan Library where events and exhibits rediscover his values, actions and spirit of determination. Perched atop a hill with sweeping views of the southland, the Reagan Library is one of California's most beautiful and unique destinations. Walk onboard the actual Air Force One aircraft, tail number 27000, which flew seven U.S. Presidents. View a full-size replica of the White House Oval Office, the office in which President Reagan never took off his suit jacket.

***Currently, all sightseeing options are "on your own". PAC may offer optional tour packages, if there is enough interest, and list here Summer 2021. LIKELY we'll have an LA City Tour departing from your hotel; for 3.5-5 hours or so this day.

Wednesday, December 29: This day will be epic! Board your motor coach and join your students at the “Happiest Place on Earth", Disneyland California! Visit Walt Disney's original theme park and celebrate the worlds of yesterday, fantasy, and tomorrow with timeless attractions, dazzling entertainment and magical moments that last a lifetime. Did we mention the new Star Wars attractions?  Watch your Gibson County Mass Marching Band parade down “Main Street USA” to the thousands of park visitors there this day.*

Your Disney Park Hopper pass also provides access to Disney’s California Adventure, right next door, where Disney stories come to life in new and exciting ways. After an enjoyable full day at park close, re-board your motor coaches for the relatively short trip back to the hotel.

December 2020 Update: Currently, Disney parades have been suspended in the parks. We will update you on the parade as conditions in the World normalize.

Disney Tickets and transportation are included in your tour pricing!

Thursday, December 30: board your motor coach and arrive for a behind-the-scenes look at Rose Parade mechanics, the Rose Parade Float Barn. Here you can watch the last of millions of individual flowers being attached to the amazing Rose Parade floats by literally thousands of dedicated volunteers. You’ll be up-close and personal with the “pedal pushers” who attach sometimes even individual seeds and pedals to their impressive float presentations. We’ll tour one of the many float barns and see a dozen or more floats “in progress” while there. 

Next, Proceed to Pasadena City College for the Bandfest, by REMO. Enjoy lunch on your own at one of many eateries a short walk away then the performances of many Tournament of Roses bands including, your own! Ticket included.

Once back at the hotel, change for an unforgettable evening on board the Hornblower Dinner Cruise Newport Beach. Amazing views and delicious dining make the Hornblower's fleet of vessels the ideal way to celebrate your acceptance to march in the prestigious Rose Parade. Dress-up a little bit as this will be a lot of FUN with your students! Disembark the yacht and return to the hotel. 

***Update July 2020***

Bandfest times have not yet been scheduled for the band. It could be either Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning, or Wednesday afternoon. We will update you once determined and adjust the full itinerary!

 Thursday, December 31: Options for today may include: 

Knott’s Berry Farm (where your students will be). With over 165 rides, shows and attractions, Knott's Berry Farm is the place to go for family fun! With five themed areas, there is something at Knott's for everyone. Experience world-class thrills on Silver Bullets, the park's first-ever suspended coaster, or Sierra Sidewinders - the spinning coaster that offers a panoramic view. Experience Knott's newest coaster Pony Express - The Rides, delivering a horseback relay at speeds never imagined in the Old West. For something different, detour to the Park's Old West Ghost Town® and have a cool sarsaparilla. TICKET AND BUS TRANSPORTATION OPTIONAL AND AVAILABLE HERE as you book your trip!

"On Your Own": Suggestions

· Griffith Park Located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood, the observatory commands a spectacular view of the Los Angeles basin below. Nearly two million people each year enjoy the view from its balconies especially at night. 

· Santa Monica Beach People from all over the world flock to this ocean resort to enjoy the spectacular coastline views. It’s nine-acre pier dates back nearly 10 years! As if restaurants and an amusement park aren’t enough, Santa Monica Place offers three levels of shopping and is adjacent to the world-famous Third Street Promenade-a pedestrian only-open air entertainment plaza. 

If not at Knott's with the students, this is another day for YOU to explore (rental cars recommended)!

Saturday, January 1: Load the bus for the Rose Parade. Gibson County Mass Marching Band marches in the 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade! Our buses (included) will take you to the parade for street viewing or enjoy the parade from a grandstand seat arranged for you (optional and NOW AVAILABLE and RECOMMENDED). This option is available at check-out from WeTravel here today.

In the evening, board your motor coach again heading for your Farewell dinner and celebration with your students nearby (included). 

What a fabulous week it has been! 

Flights as you scheduled them from LA Area Airports.

The front desk can assist you with airport transportation options (as can we). Sharing a rented car for the week id a great option coming, and going!

PAC can arrange additional nights for you before and after the scheduled trip. if interested, Write Lee@usafest.org with your interest and group pricing information!

PS With your students traveling on Charter Air, they may NOT be available to stay additional nights with you. Special arrangements MIGHT be able to be made by contacting Lee above.