Welcome to TLC Tours

IABS Convention Tour
Guest performance appearances at the Irish Association of Barbershop Singers (IABS) Convention can be arranged through The Larivee Company Tours, Inc. IABS Conventions are usually held the first weekend in October, and male and female quartets and choruses from the USA are eligible to compete in this international competition. American quartets and choruses are eligible to compete in the male quartet, female quartet and international chorus competition. IABS competes in the National Competition, not the International There are awards for each category.

Kerry Festival
Int'l Barbershop Weekend Tour
The Larivee Company Tours, Inc. is the primary organizer/sponsor of the Kerry Festival with the cooperation of IABS and the Kerry School of Music. The “Kerry Festival” itself is an International Barbershop Harmony Weekend held in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland duing the month of March and it has featured some of the world's best barbershop harmony groups. The weekend culminates with a concert at the state-of-the-art Siamsa Tire Theatre (pronounced “sheem-shah-teer-ah”). Just across the street is the Headquarters Hotel for the event, the 100-room Brandon Hotel where a Welcome Reception and the Afterglow are held. The qualification to be invited to perform is that you hold a title of "champion." The Kerry Festival also includes performing at a morning. Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in Killarney. The Larivee Company Tours, Inc. first got involved in the March Festival idea in 2000, when our tour group joined other groups (including Revival and Weekend Edition) for the Roaring 1920s Festival in Killarney. Following the 2000 Festival, the Roaring 1920s Festival disbanded. TLC Tours then became the principal sponsor for a new event that continued the barbershop part of the former Roaring 1920s Festival. The event was moved to a better facility in Tralee. The Festival in 2001 included Happiness Emporium, Image City Sound Sweet Adeline Chorus, from Rochester, NY, and the Southerntiersmen Chorus from Binghamton, NY (SPEBSQSA).

Above photo: The Chorus of the Genesee, Rochester, NY SPEBSQSA, marched in the St. Patrick's Day Parade at the 2000 Roaring 1920s Festival in Killarney

The 2001 Festival was a resounding success! Over $1,000 was donated to IABS and to the World Harmony Council. However, the tragic events of September 11th forced the cancellation of the 2002 Festival and a restructuring of the Festival Weekend. The 2003 Kerry Festival included the 2002 Sweet Adelines International Chorus Champions, San Diego Chorus, Fanatix (2002 Sweet Adelines International Quartet Champions), a cappella Gold (2001 Sweet Adelines International Quartet Champions) Cornerstone (past winners of the Buckeye Invitational) and, from Ireland, Connection (2001 IABS National Quartet Champions), Kerry Choral Union, and the Kerry Chamber Choir.

If your chorus or quartet is interested in participating in a future Kerry Festival, invitations may be obtained from The Larivee Company Tours, Inc. by calling Leo Larivee at 1-888-609-2930.