Ensembles · Marching Band and Drum Corps
Marching band and drum corps tours of Ireland and the UK
March in famous parades, play in historic city squares, and leave the logistics to marching band experts.
What a marching band tour with Upbeat looks like
Most marching band tours are built around one big moment, such as the St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin or London's New Year's Day Parade. We then add two or three more performances, so the tour is about more than a single morning on the street. Tours usually run for five to seven nights, with time to rehearse, explore and rest between performances. We look after the parade application, rehearsal space, instrument transport and timings, so your band can focus on the show.
1 parade
at the heart of your tour
5 to 7
nights
2 to 3
more performances around it
From O'Connell Street to Piccadilly
A marching band tour can take in some of the most famous streets in these islands, as well as smaller towns where a visiting band brings the whole community out. These are some of the places we plan performances around.
Dublin
The St Patrick's Day parade through the city centre, with [other Dublin performances to confirm]
London
London's New Year's Day Parade through the West End, with [other London performances to confirm]
Glasgow
George Square in the heart of the city, and Loch Lomond Shores
Towns and villages
Town squares and community centres, where a visiting band brings everyone out to listen
March alongside local bands and pipers
We pair marching bands with local groups, so a performance becomes a meeting of traditions. Your band might share a parade or a concert with a pipe band, a local brass or marching band, or Irish dancers, each seeing how the other does things. Afterwards there is time to compare notes, swap stories and make friends.
Your band could perform alongside
Pipe bands · Local brass and marching bands · Irish dancers
Workshops that sharpen the show and open new doors
Our team have spent many years performing in and leading bands, and that network opens doors to leading band educators and percussionists in Ireland and the UK.
Tighten your show
A rehearsal or clinic with an experienced band educator, working on your own show and music, with fresh ideas to take home.
Learn the pipes and drums
Try the instruments of a Scottish or Irish pipe band, with an introduction to the bagpipes and pipe band drumming from local players.
Planned by marching band experts
Upbeat's marching band and drum corps tours are led by Keith Kelly, working alongside the rest of the Upbeat team. Keith spent many years as a performer with the Irish Defence Forces bands, and has worked as a music educator and conductor with community bands around the country. He is joined by John DeNovi in the US, who previously worked for Drum Corps International and travels the world as an expert on bands, marching bands and international music events. Between them, they know what a band needs from a parade, a rehearsal and a schedule.
Parades and festivals for marching bands
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![Marching band in the St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin]()
St Patrick's Festival, Dublin
Ireland's biggest parade, every 17 March, with marching bands from around the world.
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![Marching band in London's New Year's Day Parade]()
London's New Year's Day Parade
A New Year's Day parade through central London, with marching bands from across North America.
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[Festival name]
[One line about the festival]
Where marching bands tour
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![Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in London at sunset]()
England
Great cathedrals and concert halls, with London's parades and band festivals.
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![Colourful village and green fields on the Irish coast]()
Ireland
Stone cathedrals, warm audiences and festivals from Limerick to Derry.
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![Highland cow in the Scottish Highlands]()
Scotland
Historic stages and a proud piping tradition, from Edinburgh to the Highlands.
[Quote from a marching band or drum corps director, once they have agreed to it being used]
[Director name], [band name]
Marching band tour questions
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Visiting bands apply to St Patrick's Festival to take part in the Dublin parade, and places are limited. We can help you put together a strong application and build the rest of your tour around the day.
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Most bands fly with their own instruments. Larger percussion and equipment can be shipped, or sometimes hired locally, depending on what your show needs. We'll talk through the options and costs with you early in the planning.
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Yes. Marching bands need room to warm up and run through a show, so we arrange suitable rehearsal space close to your performances and build it into the schedule.
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Yes. We plan tours for drum corps, colour guards and full marching bands, and we make sure your performances, rehearsal space and transport suit the size of your group.
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Many marching bands travel in March for St Patrick's Day, or over New Year for the London parade. Outside those dates, spring and summer bring longer days and more chances to perform outdoors.
Start planning your Upbeat tour today
Tell us about your group and where you'd like to perform. We'll shape the tour around your ensemble and handle the details, so you can focus on the music.