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How To Do

NYC Dyke March 2025

Date: Saturday, June 28

Call Time: 5:15pm

Call Location: 22nd Street and 5th Ave, Manhattan (Southwest corner)

Truck Duty: Trumpets

Call Time:
  • 5:15 pm

Call Location:
  • Truck will be parked on 22nd Street west of 5th Ave
  • Performance location is the sidewalk on the west side of 5th Ave between 21st and 22nd Street

Performance Time:
  • This is a stand-and-play performance for the marchers on 5th Ave
  • We will play when the march goes by
  • The march is scheduled to start at 5:00, so performance time could be anytime between 5:45 and 6pm
  • We will play for approximately 30-60 minutes, depending on the size of the march
  • Closest subway: R to 23rd Street
  • Also nearby:
    • 6 to 23rd Street
    • F to 23rd Street
  • This is a weekend performance! Be sure to check the MTA website for service changes and the MTA Live Map before you leave home!

Uniform (Everyone)

  • We are NOT wearing our full uniform
    • no Aussie hat
    • no plume
    • no overlay
    • no guard/dance crew tops!
    • Also, keep your Dickies and Dinkles at home for the parade tomorrow morning!
  • White 2025 QBAC marching band t-shirt
  • Shorts/bottoms of your choice.
  • Footwear of your choice.

Music We’re Playing

Some of the GOATs AND some of the DC Band’s music that you need to print (read on)!

The 2025 Marching Set, Warmups, Ballads

  • 34th Street Chorale
  • Technical Warmup
  • Ballad, Good Luck, Babe!
  • The 2025 Marching Set:
    1. We R Who We R
    2. Houdini 
    3. Hot to Go
    4. I Will Survive
    5. Abracadabra
  • SOME of Our 2025 GOATs, plus: Good Luck, Babe, and The DC band’s Abracadabra and Let’s Groove and Fat Bottom Girls (please go on Chorus Connection and print the last 3, below; their Let’s Groove and Fat Bottom are the same as ours from prior years!) We will read these 3 at rehearsal on Thursday night:
    1. Good Luck, Babe! (given our audience, we’ll include our ballad in our set!)
    2. As It Was
    3. Dancing Queen
    4. Don’t Stop Me Now
    5. I Wanna Dance With Somebody
    6. Timber
    7. DC’s arrangement of Abracadabra
    8. Let’s Groove
    9. Fat Bottom Girls

  • Public restrooms are available in nearby Madison Square Park

  • And in Trader Joe’s on 6th Ave. @ 21st St. and at Home Depot, on 23rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues 

  • This is a “Stand-and-Play” performance.  We stand on the sidewalk and perform as the marchers go past on the street.

  • We will perform for 30-60 minutes starting when the march goes by (anywhere between 5:45 and 6pm)

  • Our sibling band, DC’s Different Drummers, will be joining us for this performance

  • All our performances are rain-or-shine (unless there is lightning)

POST-DYKE MARCH PRIDE PARTY @ SLATE for QBAC & DC’s Different Drummers — FREE admission!

After the March: Annual Band Pride Party around the corner at Slate!

  • After our performance is over, we’re hosting and toasting ourselves and our DC band friends with a PRIDE PARTY at Slate!

  • Please use your QBAC T-shirt for entrance at no cover charge!

  • Address: 54 West 21st Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues (less than a block away)

  • Time: The space is ours 6:30-9:00 PM; anyone who wants to stay longer is welcome to!

  • The kitchen (bar/appetizers menu) and bar will be open.

NYC Pride March

Date: Sunday, June 29

Call Time: 10:15 - 10:30am SHARP - window to pick up your wristband to gain entry to call location

Call Location: Madison Ave and 28th Street

IMPORTANT: The truck will be VERY full. Please only bring what you need and leave personal belongings at home. (If you can do without your case, don't bring it.)

Truck duty: Saxophones

CALL TIME

  • Between 10:15 and 10:30 am for wristband pickup
  • If you are going to be late, notify someone so they can meet you at the call location entrance with a wristband
  • We will reload the truck at 11am, so you must have your overlay, and all cases must be ready to go back on the truck by then. 
  • We will line up at 11:45 (or when the NYC Pride March crew tell us)


CALL LOCATION

  • Call location for wristband pickup: 28th St and Madison
  • Staging location: 28th St between 5th and Madison
  • 5th Ave will be closed. You MUST enter 28th St from Madison (and pick up your wristband)


PERFORMANCE TIME

  • Moment of silence: 11:58am
  • Parade steps off at noon
  • We are in the lead group, so we will probably be on Fifth Ave before noon and will step off shortly thereafter
  • CLOSEST TRAIN TO CALL LOCATION: Take the 6 train to 28th Street. This is one block away from our call location on 28th Street between Madison and 5th Avenue.
  • 2ND CLOSEST: Take any train to 42nd Street/Grand Central Station and walk south on Park or Madison to E. 28th St. (You can only cross 5th Ave. above 34th St.)
  • IMPORTANT: You will NOT be able to cross 5th Ave below 34th Street. (Trust us.) If you are coming from the West side, you must cross 5th Ave above 34th Street!!! 
  • This is a weekend performance, leave earlier than usual! Make sure to check the MTA website for weekend service changes and the MTA Live Map before you leave home!
Musicians:
  • White Dickies band pants
  • White 2025 QBAC t-shirt, tucked into your pants
  • White Dinkles shoes
  • White Aussie hat
  • White socks
  • White or flesh colored underwear (Trust us on this, we’ll know if you don’t!)
  • White web belt (optional)
  • Band overlay (Always supplied at step-off)
  • Purple plume (Always supplied at step-off)

 

Color Guard:
  • White guard pants
  • 2025 Color Guard top
  • White guard shoes

 

Dance Crew:
  • 2025 Dance Crew top
  • 2025 White Dance Crew pants
  • Dance crew shoes

Music We’re Playing

  • 34th Street Chorale
  • Technical Warmup
  • Ballad, Good Luck, Babe!
  • The 2025 Marching Set:
    1. We R Who We R
    2. Houdini 
    3. Hot to Go
    4. I Will Survive
    5. Abracadabra
  1.  

More About the Music:

  • You do not need to bring your stand-and-play music to this performance
  • Put your music into a flip-folder (and don’t forget to bring a lyre)
  • Make sure you have a new QBAC logo placard in front of the pieces in the Marching Set
  • If you performed at WorldPride, remember to replace your Pride Bands placards with QBAC placards

Restrooms

  • Port-o-sans in the staging area; try to go before arrival (or be prepared for long lines)
  • Try to find a restaurant, church, local business, or hotel restroom en route to step-off. 
  • The parade is scheduled to begin at 12 noon.
  • We are in the lead contingent, so we will probably be on Fifth Ave. before noon and will step off shortly thereafter.
  • Parade Route: South on 5th Ave., west on 8th St., cross 6th Ave. and continue on Christopher St., north on 7th Ave., ending on 7th Ave. and 14th Street
  • After 14th St, we will walk up 7th Ave and turn left on 18th street where we will load the truck and van
  • The route from staging to dispersal is just shy of 2 miles
  • All our performances are rain-or-shine (unless there is lightning), and we have a LOT of ponchos in case we need them!
  • Local TV station WABC (channel 7) will be broadcasting the parade live, 12:00-3:00 PM

Evacuation Plan for Extreme Weather

This is the plan in the event of thunder or extreme weather

  • Drivers turn off vehicles
  • Anyone in a vehicle should stay in the vehicle
  • Band evacuates the route at the nearest exit and seeks shelter
  • Once marchers have exited, drivers proceed along the route to the dispersal area (18th between 7th and 8th)
  • When safe, band makes their way to the dispersal area to meet up with the truck


If you are feeling unwell during the march

  • We will have room in our van to accept passengers
  • Let Josh Tolliver or Jason Cannon know if you want to ride in the van so they can radio the driver. (Jason is stationed up front near the banner, Josh is mid-band)
  • Please do not leave the route by yourself. If you need to exit the route, we will send a band-aide with you.

 

First Aid Team On Call

The following band members are on call for first aid

  • Amrita Seehra
  • Brian Luke
  • Stephanie Zandieh (band aide)