Early St. Patrick’s Day morning, about 100 members of the Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band will take to the streets in Dublin, Ireland, to perform at the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade as part of the Mountain West Conference All Star Band.
The parade begins at 5 a.m. PST (noon Irish Standard Time) on Friday, March 17. Live streaming coverage begins at 5:15 a.m. PST on RTÉ One. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin is one of the biggest and most celebrated annual events globally.
“This is an amazing opportunity for all of our students to perform in one of the most recognized and distinguished international events, as well as to be immersed in the culture and heritage of Ireland,” said Steven McKeithen, director of the Bulldog Marching Band and the Mountain West Conference All Star Band.
Earlier this year, the Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band performed in the Rose Parade. Weeks later, they presented a performance video at the prestigious College Band Directors National Association Conference in Athens, Georgia. Now, some members will be on the world stage performing in Dublin, Ireland.
“We are so happy to see our Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band students collaborating with students from other Mountain West universities under Professor Steven McKeithen’s direction in Dublin, Ireland. This is truly a transformative experience for all of them, and we’re very proud of the band’s accomplishments and recognition far and wide,” said Dr. Honora Chapman, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State.
The Mountain West Conference All Star Band consists of 220 members from eight universities who will join together to perform in the world-renowned parade. These include Fresno State; San Diego State University; San Jose State University; University of Nevada, Reno; Boise State University; Utah State University; University of Wyoming; and the United States Air Force Academy. The participating Fresno State students used their own resources to fund their travel.
“We are very excited to partner with our associated Mountain West schools and their wonderful students and directors. This is an unprecedented partnership that has been in process for over a year,” McKeithen said.
The Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band is an NCAA Division-I college marching band that performs at all Fresno State home football games and various other events on campus and in the community. It was recognized by the College Band Directors National Association as one of the top eight college marching bands in the country with the 2017 Ensemble of Excellence award. The 280-member Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band represents all eight schools and colleges on campus, comprising a diverse group of students from all over California, the United States and beyond.
