Marching Band CANADA DAY Parade July 1, 2016

 Marching Band 

CANADA DAY Parade 

July 1, 2016

The NLHMB was invited to perform in the Canada Day parade in Niagara Falls, Ontario on July 1st.  It was very interesting to see how Canada's parade's were very much like how we do them too.  They didn't have any patriotic songs in the beginning, anthems or the like, they didn't have any horses, tractors, or animals.  I don't think there were any old cars either...but, very similar!

This was a very musical parade, they had two different bag-pipe bands, and numerous other adult musical/band groups.  Our band was the only band of younger students.

Here is our band coming through---the first line of our band, our banner that says they are the Northern Lights Homeschool Marching Band.

Then came the color guard.  Since this trip was about seven hours away, we had quite a few missing people.

You can see our Drum Majors leading the band with their cool white feathered hats, at the very left of the photo.

It was so packed that I struggled to get a few good pictures.  It has been raining on us all the time up to the parade starting.  I think they waited for the rain to stop before they started the parade.  Many of our instruments can't get wet, so we were very fortunate to have the weather come around for us in time.

After the color guard they have about ten rows of brass, woodwinds, etc. then the percussion, then another ten rows of brass, woodwinds, etc. then the rear flag bearers.  Last week, Dd was in the front section with her sax, in front of the loud percussion section.  This week we was behind the percussion in the second group of sax's.  She said it was so much quieter in the back!  I'd imagine so!

All the light green t-shirts are people supporting our band--family members most likely.  We forgot our band t-shirts and blended into the crowd.

They are a really big band--over 200 kids, of ALL ages!  Playing side by side, learning together like a big family.  I really like how they all co-mingle and get along.

These are the two buses that the band, and some parents, rode on.  They had one bus for 'girls' and one bus for 'boys,' though parents were mixed in both.  I thought that was a pretty smart idea!

........................

Niagara Falls June 30, 2016

Niagara Falls 

June 30, 2016

 Dd's band, Nothern Lights Homeschool Marching Band, was invited to be in the CANADA DAY parade, so we all headed to Niagara Falls!  Thought I'd share a few pictures of the falls.

We went on the Hornblower boat to see the falls up-close.

Dd is in the center, looking over her shoulder at me!

Black Cormorants were fun to watch!  I even saw one catch a fish.

As you can imagine, I took a hundred pictures of birds, but I thought I would keep this post relatively concise.

I love checking out the flora and fauna in such interesting locations.  This is right beside the water.

The most beautiful rainbows

Another expensive tourist attraction (besides the Hornblower) was the Journey Behind the Falls---this is from that tour.

The "Journey Behind the Falls" tour is a look behind and in the middle of the falls.  You walk through these wet concrete tunnels, hearing the power of the falls clearly.  There are two tunnels that peek behind the falls, and this picture is what the peep-hole shows.  A photo can't share the surging water and mist that you see in person.  

................