Carrickfergus set to welcome Boston Merrimack College Band

The 90-strong Boston Merrimack College Band will be visiting the town on Wednesday, November 27.

They will be in Northern Ireland as part of the ‘Friendly Four’ ice hockey tournament and will step out in Carrick for their first official engagement.

During their visit, they will be parading at Sunnylands to the US Rangers Memorial and will host an indoor performance at the Amphitheatre on Prince William Way later that afternoon.

The band will parade past the US Rangers Memorial at Sunnylands at approximately 1pm-1.15pm and there will be a short tribute to the Fallen.

At 2.30pm, there will be an indoor concert by the band at the Amphitheatre in Carrickfergus. The band are promising rock and pop as well as their more traditional music, and they have a rock group section to add to the varied musical offering.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the free concert; tickets can be booked from November 20 at www.ticketsource.co.uk/meaevents/t-gaogaak

It is the second such visit by an American marching band to the borough this year.

In March 2024, crowds turned out to welcome the Clover High School Band as they made their way through Larne.

The group from Clover, South Carolina – which is officially twinned with Larne – paraded through the town centre to Inver Park, where they headlined a free public concert.

The 160-strong band were making a pit stop in the area after being invited to take part in the St Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin.