Ironton High School band members will make a Dixie Land trip in December to perform at the Peach Bowl.

Sunday, November 18, 2001

Ironton High School band members will make a Dixie Land trip in December to perform at the Peach Bowl.

The band will leave Dec. 28 to join about 10 other bands in to perform at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Ga., on New Year’s Eve. In addition to the bowl game performance, the band will perform in a parade with the other bands.

On Dec. 30, the band will switch gears and return to competition mode, taking this year’s show, "Big Noise 2001," to the Peach State.

Band members will also have a little time to take in the sights of the city. They will tour the CNN world headquarters, visit the "World of Coca Cola" exhibit and make a trip to the home of Martin Luther King Jr.

The band will also make a shopping and dining trip to "Atlanta Underground."

Bill Rath, IHS band directors, said the trip is important because it provides students with an opportunity to meet and spend time with students from all over the U.S. He said the students will learn to work together with students with other backgrounds and work with adults other than the teachers they interact with one another on a regular basis. He said the students will also learn to work with others in meeting a common goal – the Peach Bowl performance and parade – while taking in the city’s culture.

Although this is the first performance to the Peach Bowl, it’s not the first time the band loaded up and took its show on the road. The band has performed at the NCAA Kickoff in the Meadowland, N.J. and has performed at the Christmas Parade in Chicago, Ill.

Rath said he appreciates the bands ability to switch hats and gear up for different performances. He said, "I’m proud of the kid’s ability to do a number of performances well."

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