Slippery Rock University's marching band, the Marching Pride, performed at the 2019 St. Patrick's Day Festival, March 17, capturing the event's "Best Adult Band" and "Best Overall Band" parade awards. "Winning both awards was a surprise for sure, but I knew going into this appearance, with how much the students had worked and grown, that we had a shot," said Jonathan Helmick SRU assistant professor of music and director of bands. "(Winning these awards) really says something about the caliber of what is going on, not only in our program, but throughout the University. Magic can happen and for us, it happened live in front of a half million people." The group marched along a two-mile parade route through the streets of Dublin as one of 11 marching bands from three countries and eight states at the event. The band will also compete at the Limerick International Band Championship, March 18, in Limerick. That event will feature more than 1,300 musicians from Ireland, Europe and the United States.
