A Sweet Time in the Big Easy
by Laura Breen Galante
On New Year’s Eve, Lake Brantley High School’s band proudly marched through the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, performing for a throng of enthusiastic spectators.
Lake Brantley’s Marching Patriots were there by invitation to perform at the 2025 Allstate Sugar Bowl New Year’s Parade. Marques Rudd, the school’s director of bands, had entered the Patriots for consideration. Based on the band’s music proficiency and previous community performances, Lake Brantley was one of eight high-school bands selected to participate in the parade.
About 115 Lake Brantley band and color guard members, along with parent chaperones, packed three buses and headed to the Big Easy in late December. Leading up to the parade, students spent a few days touring the French Quarter – the oldest neighborhood in the city – and the Jackson Square historic park. They visited the Cabildo, a state history museum; JAMNOLA, an interactive art and music museum; and Mardi Gras World, to see where parade floats are created.
The students also performed in Jackson Square and attended a masquerade-style banquet with other participating high-school bands.
Jamming in NOLA
Catie Sommerio, a sophomore who plays trumpet, loved every minute of the trip.
“My favorite part was the JAMNOLA museum,” says Catie. “We were able to walk around and interact with all the art. There was jazz music and lots of historical elements about New Orleans. It was a really fun experience that I loved sharing with my friends.”
Kiley Hinson, a sophomore who plays the flute, enjoyed meeting band members from other schools at the banquet.
“I also liked exploring the French Quarter with my friends,” says Kiley.
Lisa Smith, a parent chaperone on the trip, said the Mardi Gras-style parade experience was incredible. The parade route began at Elysian Fields Avenue and Decatur Street, traveled through the French Quarter, and finished on Canal Street, with the Marching Patriots playing the Lake Brantley fight song and drum line cadences.
“It was really packed, and it was so much fun,” says Lisa. “Just seeing the kids’ smiles as they marched for so many people was amazing. It was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience, for sure. And everyone was just on a high after that.”
Aidyn-Lucia, Lisa’s daughter, felt like a celebrity because so many people were cheering from the street and the balconies of buildings. She also liked making new friends.
“Before the parade, I got to talk to people from other bands,” says Aidyn-Lucia, a senior who plays bass drum. “I got to meet people I wouldn’t have met.”
Freshman Presley Hendricks, also a bass drum player, participated in the parade, as did her sister Maddie and their mom Kristin. Maddie has Down syndrome, so Kristin guided her along in a wheelchair while Maddie played cymbals.
“My heart was bursting with pride and joy as I watched people in the crowd smile and wave at Maddie,” says Kristin, who also served as a parent chaperone. “A few even gave her beads.”
Ending the Year on a High Note
After about 48 minutes of marching, the Lake Brantley students headed back to their hotel. That night, many of the bandmates rang in 2026 together in the lobby.
“Celebrating New Year’s Eve with all of them, that really brought us together,” says Aidyn-Lucia.
Marques deemed the trip to be a big success, and not only because of the band’s performance. Being immersed in the music, art, and culture of New Orleans was inspiring and motivating for the students.
“The best part of my experience by far was being able to see the joy and excitement on my students’ faces,” says Marques. “We often get caught up in the academic and administrative side of things as educators and can forget to have fun.”