In its 13-year history, the Jacksonville University Ripcurrent Marching Band has just hit a new high note. The band has been selected to perform in the prestigious 40th Anniversary London New Year’s Day Parade in 2026, marking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the students and the university.
The London New Year’s Day Parade has been running for four decades and is known for its vibrant display of performers from around the world. The 2026 event is expected to feature more than 8,000 performers, drawing almost 750,000 spectators to the streets of London and capturing the attention of hundreds of millions globally via TV and streaming.
Outside the Frisch Welcome Center, drum majors Taylor Lonergan and Tim Berthiaume welcomed the distinguished delegation from London to campus. Led by Bob Bone, the co-founder and chair of the parade, the group visited Jacksonville University to extend the formal invitation to the Ripcurrent Marching Band for the historic event.
"We only wanted the very best marching bands, fitting for our 40th Anniversary," said Bone. "The Ripcurrent Marching Band certainly fits the bill."
Band members will perform for a global television audience, including millions watching live on PBS in the U.S., but they will also spend a week immersing themselves in London’s rich culture.
“We were thrilled with the invitation to travel to London and take part in this storied event- a fitting recognition of the outstanding work of our students and the founding director of RipCurrent Marching Band, Professor Chris Creswell,” said Dr. Tim Snyder, dean of the Linda Berry Stein College of Fine Arts and Humanities.
“This is a momentous honor for Jacksonville University and the band,” said Creswell. “‘Tiny but mighty’ is what we like to say, it’s nice to see the students’ hard work get noticed on a larger scale.”
The invitation marks the band’s biggest achievement to date.“I’m grateful to the London New Year’s Day committee for their willingness to recognize groups like ours, who may not come from large colleges, but still do quality work,” said Chris Creswell.
While formally introducing the delegation from London, Kim Beasley, chair of Jacksonville University’s music department, expressed how this invitation underscores JU’s overall mission. “The invitation represents an opportunity for our JU musicians to practice global citizenship, share their talents and represent Jacksonville University and the JU Department of Music on a global stage,” she said.
Steve Summers, chair of the London Mayors’ Association and former Lord Mayor of Westminster, Dean Oblonsky, senior American consultant, and Jonathan Whaley, senior director of international participation, were also part of the delegation from London. Together, they acknowledged the band's exceptional talent, granting them a rare spot in one of the world’s largest and most celebrated street festivals.
For Creswell, the recognition is a testament to the band’s dedication. “Student to student, we are as good as any college marching band in the nation. We just come with a smaller footprint,” he said. “Many of our students would never get an opportunity to participate in an event of this caliber without the community of this group. That they perform at a level high enough to receive this type of recognition is icing on the cake.”
