The Olentangy Liberty High School Marching Band will travel across the Atlantic Ocean next year to participate in London’s New Year’s Day Parade and Festival.

Band Director Travis Hicks said this will be the fourth time the band has participated in the parade, including two prior trips and one virtual appearance during the pandemic.

“The first time, basically, they have a group of individuals that look around and pick bands that they would like to invite for the parade,” Hicks said. “We got our first invite that way. We went over and performed, and afterwards, they were impressed (and said) that whenever we would like to come back, they were more than honored to have us back. With COVID settling down, this next coming year we’d like to go back.”

Hicks said organizers invited them back to perform in the 2024-2025 parade, and all the credit goes to the members of the band.

“It’s a great feeling, and it speaks volumes to our students,” Hicks said. “It’s solely on how they’re performing and what they do. I love the fact that they’re able to be the best ambassadors for our program. It feels great as their director, but it’s all on how our students perform. They do a (great job) and get these things offered to them.”

Hicks said the theme for the parade hasn’t been chosen yet, but when it’s selected, the band will begin practicing music for their performances when the marching band season begins in July.

Hicks said the band will march in the parade and then perform a short show for a television broadcast.

“At the end, we have a section where they have it roped off and we get to move around, and they’ll give us a time limit,” Hicks said. “It’s pretty neat. We’ll be practicing a different portion of the show just for the TV performance.”

Hicks said the concert band and jazz ensemble will also perform during the trip at the Cadogan Hall in London.

The parade will be broadcast in the United States on PBS.

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903.