On April 17th at approximately 5 a.m., roughly 45 Nashoba students woke up and got ready to head out the door. Why? Because at 7 a.m. a bus was getting ready to depart to take them to New York City. Every other year, Nashoba Friends of Music, holds a fun filled trip to NYC. The trip spans a long weekend from Friday morning until Sunday night before April vacation; all Nashoba band and chorus students are invited to go on this exciting trip.

At 12 p.m. the coach bus dropped the Nashoba kids on the streets of Queens and they set out for their first meal in the city. After that, the group headed for the Museum of the Moving Image. Located in Astoria, the museum is famous for its collection of all things movie related: old cameras, televisions, posters, albums, video games, sets, and even Yoda from Star Wars. For fans of the movie Mrs. Doubtfire, the body suit used by Robin Williams in the film is there on display.

After a fun afternoon at the museum, the group took a pit stop at Rockefeller Center before going to the famous Bubba Gumps for dinner. The restaurant is inspired by the classic film, Forrest Gump. The meal was complete with an exciting round of Forrest Gump themed trivia. Following dinner, the bus took the students over to Carnegie Hall for an amazing concert by the Boston Symphony Orchestra before heading back to the Hilton Newark Airport Hotel in New Jersey.

Day two of the NYC adventure started with a trip to a Broadway workshop for improv games and Q&A’s with a Broadway actor. Students met Jamal Lee, an actor who is currently in the Lion King. Jamal plays a rhino in the show but is also an understudy for the lead, Mufasa. After getting a chance to talk to Jamal, the pack went to the Minskoff Theatre to see him in action in the Lion King. The show was an amazing experience for the students, complete with intricate costumes, tribal makeup, sky high sets, and traditional African music. In fact, most of the actors in the show were native to South Africa.

Following a walk around Times Square and dinner, the group went to another incredible concert, but this time at Lincoln Center. Instead of seeing another orchestra, a jazz band performed, and the experience getting to watch them was amazing. After a long day walking around the big city, the students went back to the hotel for some much-needed sleep.

Sadly, day three was the last day of the trip. The final activity planned for the high schoolers was a trip to the Bronx Zoo. They spent the whole afternoon there, visiting the numerous exhibits and animals.There was an exhibit with animals from almost every area in the world, including Asia, Africa, and the Arctic. Unfortunately, after a weekend of fun, it was time to head home.

Even if it was someone’s first time or tenth time in New York, the trip was an unforgettable experience for everyone. It was nearly impossible to find a moment that wasn’t filled with fun and excitement on such an amazing trip to the Big Apple.