TO: Concert Choir Students and Families FROM: Mrs. Patchett MEMO: Music in the Parks Competition at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA DATE: February 10, 2023 Dear Parents/Guardians & Students, Holly Springs High School Concert Choir has the opportunity to travel to Williamsburg, VA May 20th to participate in a “Music in the Parks” choral competition at Busch Gardens Theme Park. It is a wonderful opportunity for the students to hear other performances, perform and have a forum in which they are adjudicated. There will also be free time for having fun in the Busch Gardens Park. If we take the trip, it is very important that majority of the students in the ensemble be able to go, and those that commit to go stick to their commitment, both to the ensemble and financially. The purpose of this letter is to give parents and students as much information as we have as of now, and get a commitment either way so we can decide if there are enough students able to go, so that it would be worth us going and competing. It would only be a day trip to Williamsburg on May 20th. We would leave very early in the morning on Saturday, May 20th on Charter Busses. We would perform, have time in the park, go to the awards ceremony in the park and come home late that evening. The tentative itinerary is below. The cost of the trip would be no more than $100 per participant based on festival fees, meals, park entrance, and transportation. There have been several opportunities this year to fundraise. Please email me if you have any questions. Otherwise please return the 2nd page of this form along with a $30 non-refundable deposit toward the trip if your student is able to commit. (Make checks payable to HSHS Chorus Booster.) You can also pay online through cheddar up at https://busch-gardens-trip.cheddarup.com Please pay and return the form by February 28. If we end up deciding that not enough students have committed, your $30 will be returned to you. If we decide to take the trip, the deposit is non-refundable. Students will need to have fundraised or paid their year’s fairshare in addition to paying for the trip in order to be able to go. If you believe your child has fundraised enough money to cover fairshare ($50 for the year) and Busch Gardens Trip ($100) and therefore would like to transfer money from your account to make the first deposit, please contact our treasurer, Laura Manhardt at <[email protected]>. We will also need chaperones. The cost of the trip for the chaperones will be less than the students. If we have a large interest of parent chaperones, we will have a first come first serve policy. If you are interested in chaperoning, please include a $30 deposit for yourself also, and mark the chaperone section on the form. You can send a check in or make a payment in the cheddarup link as well. https://busch-gardens-trip.cheddarup.com Sincerely, Ms. Patchett [email protected] Saturday, May 20, 2023 Itinerary *Students have been advised to eat breakfast before arriving 5:30 am - 5:45 am Meet in the front of Holly Springs High School and check in 5:45 am - 6:00 am - Load Buses in chaperoned groups 6:00 am - 10:00 am -Travel to Berkeley Middle School, VA 10:20 am - 10:40 am - Concert Choir Warm-up 10:40 am - 11:00 am - Concert Choir Performs 10:40 am - 11:00 am - Students change into park clothes 11:35 am - 5:00 pm - Small Group Time at Busch Gardens Theme Park 1:00 - 2:00 pm - Lunch will be eaten inside the park per small groups 5:00 pm-6:00 pm - Awards Ceremony In Busch Gardens Theme Park at Royal Palace Theater 6:00 pm-7:30 pm - Dinner in Small Groups in at Busch Gardens Theme Park 7:30 pm - Meet just inside Park Entrance 7:45 pm - 11:00 pm - Drive back to Holly Springs HS for parent pick up – Parents, we will call you when we are 45 minutes away – thanks in advance for being on time