State Finals -- Here We Come!!!

Calling all GHS Hurricane Marching Band parents and fans!!!  The Fan bus still has about 20 seats still available.  Get yours now!  Only $25.00.  Sign up sheets in the band room. Leave the driving to someone else.  You'll be glad you did! 

It's CASH only, and unless you're in the pit crew, you'll need to bring a few bucks! Prelims cost $12.00 (I think) and Finals $20.00 (I think).  (Someone send me an e-mail if this is wrong). The concessions stands at Finals are expensive.  DVDs are expensive.  I'm told that ATMs are a long way away from the Tropicana Dome.

Some have asked, "How do I, as a parent, encourage my child?"  The answer:

• Know your music
  
• Concentrate as hard as you can during practice
  
• Practice it the way you want to perform it

Here is the abbreviated itinerary:

8:00 a.m. All students arrive at GHS

8:30 a.m.    Buses depart for Jefferson High School, site of the preliminary competition

1:00 p.m.    Students eat lunch

4:10 p.m.    GHS Hurricane Marching Band performs

5:20 p.m.    Preliminary competition awards

6:30 p.m.    Leave for Tropicana Field, site of the final competitions

9:00 p.m.    3A Finals begin.  Our performance time to be determined

12:00 a.m.   Depart for GHS

2:00 a.m. Arrive at GHS

Parents, it's an exciting, but loooong day.  Please be sure to promptly pick up your child so that everyone can go home as quickly as possible.

For those of you who will drive, here are the directions:

Jefferson High School

4401 West Cypress Street

Tampa, FL 33607

1. Take I-75 South to I-275 exit, just north of Tampa

2. Take I-275 south into Tampa, exiting at EXIT 40B - LOIS AVENUE

3. At bottom of ramp, turn RIGHT ONTO LOIS AVENUE

4. Get immediately in left lane and turn LEFT ONLY CYPRESS STREET

5. Drive about .3 miles west on Cyrpess Street.  Jefferson High School IS ON YOUR RIGHT

From Jefferson High School to Tropicana Field:

Tropicana Field

1 Tropicana Drive

St. Petersburg, FL 33705

1. Go west on Cypress Street and turn LEFT ONTO WEST SHORE BLVD (CR-587)

2. Drive .5 miles and turn RIGHT onto JFK BLVD (FL - 60)

3. Drive .3 miles and follow signs to I-275 SOUTH. JFK Blvd eventually merges into I-275 S

4. Take I-275 SOUTH about 16 miles to EXIT I-75.

5. FOLLOW THE SIGNS to Park at the Tropicana Field.

6. Parking fee is $10.00

Here's looking forward to sharing our purple cheers at State FMBC on 11/21/09!!