As the Pride of Wildcat Land prepares to bring purple pride to Ireland, donors like you can make this trip a reality
“I’m beyond excited,” proclaimed K-State marching band drum major Colby Johnston. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
He’s not kidding. When the K-State football team opens its 2025 season in Ireland, playing Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, 111 members and staff of the K-State marching band (about one-fourth of the whole band) hope to be there to pump up the team. And the Irish people.
Dubliners will get a taste of Wildcat enthusiasm as soon as the band arrives. With horns blaring and drums pounding atop double-decker buses, the band will entertain locals with the K-State fight song and Wabash Cannonball as they drive from the airport to their hotel. A pregame pub crawl is also on the itinerary.
But this won’t be possible without help from generous K-Staters like you.
“We have kids in the band who can’t afford the $180 for a passport, or the extra dorm fees for early rehearsal dates,” explained band director Frank Tracz. “We’re not looking for a handout. But we still need help covering the rest of our travel expenses.”
“These kids give their all to K-State,” he said. “And we’re bringing that K-State spirit to Ireland in support of the team and the fans.”
Wildcats are the home team, so the Pride of Wildcat Land will have a pregame show. Then they’ll perform at halftime with the Iowa State band, giving everyone a show-stopping taste of Midwest talent.
Everyone knows K-State football isn’t the same without the band blasting Wabash Cannonball. Now’s the time to help make the band members’ dreams a reality.
Send the K-State marching band to Ireland
