GIVE ME A BEAT
10 OF AMERICA’S BEST BANDS MARCH DOWN BROADWAY AT THE
82ND ANNUAL MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADEÒ
New York, NY – November 2008 - Drum majors are in position and the bands are ready to roll off setting the streets on fire with pulsing beats and dazzling marching ability in the 82nd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. The heartbeat of the annual holiday tradition, 10 of America’s best High School, Professional and Collegiate Marching Bands will get the party started right and keep the beat flowing on
Thanksgiving Day. The crowd pleasers provide the musical structure to the holiday
revelry for the more than 3.5 million live spectators along the streets of New York
City and for over 50 million television viewers nationwide enjoying the spectacle from
the comforts of home.
Every year as the spectacular event steps off at the sound of Let’s Have a Parade,
the 10 most coveted slots in the line-up of giant balloons, fantastic floats and troupes
of clowns, belongs to America’s best Marching Bands. Each of the bands selected fromhundreds of applicants demonstrate superior musical ability, marching and
performance skills that earned them a slot in the legendary Parade line-up. To be
selected, bands submitted a completed application featuring footage of past
performances, letters of recommendation, and a biography on the band program
including awards and honors. The Macy’s Parade Band Committee reviewed each
application to determine which band’s mix of marching ability, maneuvering and
musical quality represented the very best of America. With 10 bands making the cut
including 4 returning veterans who have continued to excel over the years, America is
in for a fantastic musical treat this Thanksgiving.
For over 18 months, the lucky bands have been preparing for the big day with endless
practices and fundraisers all for their shining moment on the national stage. Their
tireless dedication will culminate with a show-stopping routine on the famed star
mark in front of the World’s Largest Store, Macy’s Herald Square. Through precision
choreography and musical ability, each band brings their own unique talents to the
holiday event, sure to make their schools and local communities very proud.
Following is the list of bands appearing in the 82nd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:
NOGALES HIGH SCHOOL
NOGALES NOBLE REGIMENT
La Puente, California
Band Size: 140 Members
Band Director: Brad Pollock
Herald Square Musical Selection: “Mambo”
JAMES BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL
JAMES BOWIE OUTDOOR PERFORMING ENSEMBLE
Austin, Texas
Band Size: 270 Members
Band Director: Bruce Dinkins
Herald Square Musical Selection: Rodeo from “Hoe Down”
COPIAGUE HIGH SCHOOL
COPIAGUE HIGH SCHOOL BAND
Copiague, New York
Band Size: 155 Members
Band Director: John Wevers
Herald Square Musical Selection: “Puttin’ on the Ritz”
FAYETTEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
FAYETTEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BULLDOG BAND
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Band Size: 201 Members
Band Director: Barry Harper
Herald Square Musical Selection: “Let’s Get Crazy”
GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
THE YELLOW JACKET MARCHING BAND
Atlanta, Georgia
Band Size: 363 Members
Band Director: Christopher Moore
Herald Square Musical Selection: Fantasia on Georgia Tech Themes
THE GREATER ST. PETERSBURG AREA
AWESOME ORIGINAL SECOND TIME AROUNDERS MARCHING BAND
St. Petersburg, Florida
Band Size: 512 Members
Band Director: Bill Findeison
Herald Square Musical Selection: “Here comes the Sun/You are my Sunshine/
Let the Sunshine In”
MACY’S GREAT AMERICAN MARCHING BAND
United States
Band Size: 245 Members
Band Director: Dr. Rick Good & Dr. Jon Woods
Herald Square Musical Selection: “Christmas Carols on Parade”
JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY
JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY MARCHING ROYAL DUKES
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Band Size: 474 Members
Band Director: Scott Rikkers
Herald Square Musical Selection: “Sing, Sing, Sing”
SIOUX FALLS LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL
SIOUX FALLS MARCHING BAND
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Band Size: 285 members
Band Director: Bob Carlson
Herald Square Musical Selection: “Don’t Rain on My Parade”
WEST JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL
WEST JOHNSTON MARCHING BAND
Benson, North Carolina
Band Size: 186 members
Band Director: Lance Britt
Herald Square Musical Selection: “Boogie Winter Wonderland”
For more information on the 82nd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, please call
the Macy’s Parade Hotline at (212) 494-4495 or log on to macysparade.com.
For media materials, please visit www.macys.com/pressroom and click on Macy’s East.
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