The Apopka High School Blue Darter Marching Band and the Wekiva High School Marching Mustangs performed in London and Louisiana, respectively, during Christmas break. 

“We are a facilitator of life experiences,” Apopka band director Jeremy Langford said. “Music is our medium, however, we provide many opportunities to our kiddos to take all of the learning and knowledge gained and put it into practice. Skill, art, leadership, and family are all part of our mantra as an organization.”

The Blue Darters performed a medley of “Orange Blossom Song” and “You Are My Sunshine” on Jan. 1 at the London New Year’s Day Parade. 

“We marched right down Picadilly Circus in London, through Trafalgar Square, on to Whitehall Street, by #10 Downing Street and lastly by Big Ben,” Apopka band director Jeremy Langford said in a Jan. 1 Facebook post. 

Langford’s wife, Marla Langford, serves as the school’s media specialist. She said the organizers of the London parade first contacted the school in the summer of 2024, after watching the band’s performance in the 2024 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade.

According to the slide presentation from the Oct. 23, 2024, informational session, the parade draws approximately 750,000 spectators in person and 600 million TV viewers. 

Marla Langford also said students visited iconic United Kingdom destinations on the trip, such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, the University of Oxford and Westminster Abbey. 

“So much learning [in] so many ways occurred each day,” Jeremy Langford said. “It was sensational to see their reaction to the total experience. They embraced the differences and acquiesced to the norms of this new place!”

The band director also wished the Marching Mustangs well in a Dec. 29 Facebook post as Wekiva traveled to New Orleans to perform in the Allstate Sugar Bowl New Year’s Eve Parade. 

“It is profoundly rewarding to witness these young musicians venture beyond the familiar, embracing opportunities that will shape their personal and professional trajectories,” said Wekiva band director Jonté Petty in a Dec. 30 Facebook post. “Such experiences affirm the enduring value of arts education as a catalyst for critical thinking, creativity, and community engagement.” 

The Marching Mustangs traveled to New Orleans in a partnership with WorldStrides, which offers “immersive learning adventures” to students in kindergarten through college. According to Byrd, Wekiva reached its funding goal in December, when the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools granted the band the last $25,000 it needed for the trip. 

Wekiva won the following five awards from the trip:  

• Parade Competition—Outstanding Drum Major, Class AA 

• Parade Competition—Outstanding General Effect, Class AA 

• Field Show Competition—3rd Place, Class AA 

• Parade Competition—3rd Place, Class AA 

• Halftime Participation 

“The Marching Mustangs have set the bar high for 2026,” Wekiva High School principal Anthony Russell said in his Monday e-newsletter. “They have shown us that when you dig deep and forge ahead, you don’t just finish the race—you come home with the gold.” 

Editor’s note: This story was edited to include statements from Jeremy Langford.