Overview
Take your marching band to New Orleans to be part of one of the biggest events of the college football season! Apply today for a chance to perform in the official Allstate Sugar Bowl Parade. Watch Crescent City transform in preparation for gameday. Your band will compete in the Battle of The Bands, perform in the famous French Quarter, enjoy a Natchez Steamboat Cruise, and march in the Sugar Bowl New Year’s Parade — Mardi Gras style! Add game tickets to your trip package or spend the day exploring the Big Easy. Applications are now open for December 2025 through January 2026!
Itinerary
Day 1
Travel to New Orleans, LA
Director's Welcome Reception
Meet the event staff, get to know your colleagues, and walk through stadium and halftime performance logistics.
Day 2
Sugar Bowl Battle of the Bands Marching Field Show Competition
Bring your A-game to the Sugar Bowl Battle of the Bands marching field show competition this morning! This is a great opportunity to see what other marching band programs from around the country are doing.
Perform in the Big Easy
Spend your afternoon performing in the famous French Quarter for the crowds walking by.
Day 3
Perform in the Sugar Bowl Parade
It's performance time! Strut your stuff at the Sugar Bowl Parade! See the best of the city as you walk the streets of New Orleans with other talented bands from around the country!
New Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance
Spend your evening at your exclusive New Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance—complete with authentic Cajun cuisine, dancing, and trophies!
Day 4
Natchez Paddleboat River Lunch Cruise
Enjoy lunch with this group cruise on the mighty Mississippi River.
Game day (optional)
Enhance your tour with game tickets and experience the thrill of one of college football's most highly attended games.
Day 5
More sightseeing or optional activities
Depart for home
Already Included
Hotel accommodations
Accident & medical insurance coverage under WorldStrides' industry-leading policy
WorldAssist staff members available 24/7/365 should your group need extra help
Free high school credit for students who choose to complete WorldStrides free online coursework post-program
Performance in a college bowl game halftime show or national parade event
Exclusive awards ceremony
Scenes from Recent New Orleans & Sugar Bowl Parade Programs
Health & Safety
Additional health and safety measures may be available within your respective destination. Refer to your program-specific materials for complete details.
Payment Plans
Advantage Payment Plan
At program sign-up you can opt to pay in full, or break up the cost of your trip with the Advantage Payment Plan. This plan allows you to pay a small initial deposit, then have your remaining payments spread out into affordable monthly amounts.
EZPay
We offer an EZPay option, which is a simple way to pay for your WorldStrides program by scheduling hassle-free, automatic drafts from your checking account. With EZPay, you'll never be late or miss an installment.
Fundraising Tools
Our easy-to-use tools put students in the driver's seat of their own fundraising efforts. Students can send e-cards, share links on social media, and even send out printed letters through WorldStrides' Gift of Education program. In one click friends and family members can make a direct donation to the trip - with 100% of the money raised going to offset their trip price. Thousands of students pay for their entire trip each year through the Gift of Education.
Also, WorldStrides makes program-specific scholarships available as well as other scholarship resources. Ask your Account Manager for more information about scholarships and fundraising tools.