• West Seneca Marching Band 2025 Chicago Trip

    This page will serve as the place to find all the information, links and documents for the West Seneca Marching Band's Trip to Chicago, IL November 20-23, 2025 to sight-see and perform in the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade!

    Registration is now open for all students.  Click here to access the Music Travel Consultants portal where you can sign up as a new user.

    Online Registration Instructions:
    • Go to www.musictravel.com
    • Upper Right - Click the “Trip Login” link
    • Select “Register a New User”
    • Fill out contact information
    • Select “Register a Traveler”
    • Enter trip number 2511-3-42
    • Select “Make a Payment” to Pay Deposit

    Those interested in serving as a chaperone, please email Mr. Blickwedehl, but hold off on registering for the trip until Mr. Blickwedehl contacts you back, please. Thank you.

    Adults interested in traveling with the band, please fill out this Google form, but hold off on registering for the trip just yet. We need to make sure we have enough room for all students, staff and chaperones before adding extra travelers, but we do likely want more as that helps fill the buses and bring the cost down for everyone traveling. It will also give us a cheering section along the parade route!!

    Please find links to the itinerary, March 6th presentation and optional travel insurance below.

    A few notes from Mr. Blickwedehl from the March 6th meeting:

    • Pageantry performance opportunities tend to be based around the holidays, bowl games, etc. This event is "holiday adjacent” meaning we do not have to give up a holiday break or time with families and loved ones. This is something we received feedback on from band families after previous marching band trips.
    • The weekend we are traveling in November is traditionally the Senior High (Grades 10-12) NYSSMA Area All-State weekend FYI
    • The Band boosters donated $15,000 towards the cost of the buses! THANK YOU BAND BOOSTERS! The boosters can potentially donate more based on how well the meat raffle goes. PLEASE SIGN UP TO HELP work the meat raffle and/or donate a gift card, scratch off lottery ticket or bottle of cheer! Email Terri.Sledz@gmail.com to sign up and help out!
    • All meals for the trip are included and provided cheaper than it would be if you had to send students with money for each meal because of the buying power that MTC has. This was a deliberate decision for our students. Yes, the bottom line cost be cheaper today in March without the cost of the meals. But, it would cost you more to not include them and then students have to keep that extra money, extra cash on them. Now you can pay for the whole trip over time and students do not need lots of extra money on the trip.
    • Chaperones, if you want to chaperone, contact Mr. B in the next week (before March 14). Preference will be given to those who are already established chaperones, but not exclusively. We do this because these parents are more familiar with the students and band policies. We will likely need more chaperones than an average marching band Saturday. Please wait on registering as an "adult", students first.
    • Gift link, that’s new!! Love it. Check it out and see if it can work for you and your student!