Show choir travel is not a trip.

It’s a mobile production.

And like any good production, what the audience sees on stage is only possible because of the carefully managed chaos happening behind the curtain—or in this case, in the bus aisle while someone is asking if they can plug in a curling iron.

Over the years, I’ve seen just about every travel pitfall imaginable: forgotten costumes, lost room keys, broken costume racks, snow delays, bus drivers who don’t believe in GPS, and one infamous incident involving a glitter explosion in a hotel hallway. (We don’t talk about that one.)

But here’s the good news: most travel disasters are preventable. And the rest? They’re survivable—with planning, humor, and a well-organized booster club.

Let’s talk about how to navigate the potholes before your bus hits them.

Pitfall #1: “I Thought You Were Bringing That.”

If there’s one universal truth in show choir travel, it’s this: assumptions will betray you.

Directors assume boosters packed the emergency sewing kit. Boosters assume the choreographer packed the backup music drive. Students assume someone else grabbed the garment steamer.

And then you arrive.

Expert Tip: Create a Master Travel Manifest.

Not a casual checklist. A master document that includes:

Costumes (primary and backup pieces)

Shoes (labeled and in garment bags)

Accessories (jewelry, gloves, hairpieces)

Tech equipment (mics, cables, power strips, backup batteries)

Props and set pieces

Printed music and performance order

Emergency kit (safety pins, duct tape, super glue, stain remover, lint rollers, Tylenol—with school approval, of course)

Assign responsibility for each category to a specific adult. Put it in writing. Share it. Review it at your final pre-trip meeting. If it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist.

Pitfall #2: The Bus Ride From… Somewhere

Bus rides are magical in theory. Bonding! Singing! Team spirit!

In reality? It’s 50 percent bonding and 50 percent “Why is there a trombone in the bathroom?”

Long travel days can derail energy levels before you ever set foot on stage.

Expert Tip: Build a Travel Timeline That Protects Performance Energy.

Work backward from your performance time.

What time do students need to eat?

When do they need to warm up?

When do hair and makeup begin?

How long is unloading and setup?

If you’re performing at 3:00 p.m., arriving at 2:15 is not bold. It’s reckless.

Plan buffer time for traffic, bathroom stops, and the inevitable “We left someone at the gas station” panic (even if they’re actually asleep in the back row).

And for the love of vocal cords, remind students that screaming through TikTok videos on the bus is not “warming up.”

Pitfall #3: Hotel Room Roulette

Hotels are where the real stories happen.

Room assignments can make or break your weekend. One poor grouping decision, and you’ll be mediating a glitter-related argument at midnight.

Expert Tip: Structure Room Assignments Strategically.

Mix leaders with younger members.

Avoid putting all the “big personalities” together.

Pair responsible students with those who need guidance.

Keep a clear adult-to-room ratio.

Also: establish expectations clearly before arrival.

Curfew. Noise level. Hallway behavior. Social media posting rules. Respect for other schools.

If expectations aren’t discussed ahead of time, you’ll be enforcing them reactively—and that’s never fun.

And here’s a booster pro-tip: assign a designated “floor walker.” One adult who quietly checks hallways before curfew and after. Not to police—but to prevent.

Pitfall #4: Costume Catastrophes

Costumes are fragile. Sequins fall off. Zippers snap. Shoes go missing. And someone will forget black socks.

Someone always forgets black socks.

Expert Tip: Pack a Costume Triage Kit.

Include:

Travel-size steamer

Sewing kit (heavy-duty thread)

Extra tights and fishnets

Backup jewelry

Fashion tape

Lint rollers

Stain remover pens

Extra garment bags

Spare black socks (trust me)

Have a designated “costume captain”—usually a booster who thrives under pressure and owns a glue gun.

And remind students: costumes do not leave assigned rooms. Not to “show a friend.” Not for hallway selfies. Not for quick Starbucks runs.

Pitfall #5: Food Fumbles

Teenagers + competition nerves + irregular eating schedules = emotional roller coaster.

Some students won’t eat. Others will eat everything in sight.

Expert Tip: Plan Meals with Purpose.

Avoid:

Heavy, greasy food before performance

Excessive dairy

Energy drinks (unless you enjoy chaos)

Encourage:

Lean protein

Complex carbs

Hydration (actual water—not soda)

If possible, pre-arrange group meals or distribute per diem with clear guidelines.

And always carry emergency snacks: granola bars, fruit snacks, crackers. A well-timed snack can prevent a full emotional meltdown.

Pitfall #6: Tech Troubles

Few things spike a director’s blood pressure like a missing aux cable or corrupted music file.

Technology is wonderful until it isn’t.

Expert Tip: Back Up Everything. Twice.

Music on flash drive

Music in cloud storage

Music on a backup laptop

Printed running order

Test all files before departure.

Bring extra extension cords and power strips. Never assume the host venue has what you need.

And designate one tech point person. Not five. Five leads to confusion. One leads to accountability.

Pitfall #7: The Emotional Swings

Competition day is a pressure cooker.

Students will experience:

Pre-performance nerves

Post-performance euphoria

Awards ceremony heartbreak

Sometimes all within three hours.

Expert Tip: Prepare Students Emotionally Before You Travel.

Have the conversation in rehearsal:

We perform to represent our school.

We celebrate our effort.

We respect other groups.

Awards do not define our season.

Build resilience before you board the bus.

And boosters—this one’s for you—model composure during awards. Students read adult reactions faster than you think.

Pitfall #8: Booster Burnout

Boosters are heroes. They plan fundraisers, manage logistics, pack trucks, coordinate meals, and somehow still cheer the loudest.

But travel weekends are exhausting.

Expert Tip: Delegate in Layers.

Instead of:

One costume person

One meal person

One bus person

Create teams.

Costume Team.

Hospitality Team.

Transportation Team.

Finance Lead.

When responsibility is shared, stress decreases—and your program becomes sustainable long-term.

And directors: say thank you. Publicly. Often.

Pitfall #9: The Unexpected (because it will happen)

Weather delays. Illness. Lost luggage. Venue schedule changes.

You cannot prevent every problem. But you can control your response.

Expert Tip: Build Flexibility Into the Plan.

Arrive earlier than necessary.

Carry emergency contact sheets.

Have medical forms accessible.

Know the nearest urgent care location.

Carry a small emergency fund.

When something goes wrong, the students will follow your energy.

If you panic, they panic.

If you smile and say, “Alright team, plot twist!” they’ll rally.

Pitfall #10: Forgetting Why You’re There

In the middle of logistics, it’s easy to forget the magic.

The bus laughter. The hallway harmonies. The nervous hand squeezes before walking on stage.

Travel isn’t just transportation. It’s culture building.

Some of the strongest bonds in a show choir are built not under stage lights, but in hotel lobbies at 11:58 p.m. eating pizza and whispering about the future.

Final Thoughts from the Road

Managing show choir travel is part producer, part tour manager, part counselor, part magician.

You are coordinating costumes like a Broadway dresser.

Scheduling like an airline dispatcher.

Negotiating like a diplomat.

And cheering like the biggest fan in the building.

Will everything go perfectly? Absolutely not.

Will something go wrong at the worst possible moment? Probably.

But when the lights come up, the first chord rings out, and your students deliver the performance they’ve worked months to perfect—that’s when the early mornings, checklists, and emergency sewing kits all feel worth it.

So plan carefully. Over-communicate. Pack extra socks. Bring duct tape.

And remember: every travel mishap eventually becomes a story you’ll laugh about at the end-of-season banquet.

Even the glitter explosion.

Especially the glitter explosion.