Marching band is a priceless element to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The bands listed below were selected for their unique sound, style, entertainment, and resume of awards. Over 34 million viewers tuned in to see these extraordinary groups perform.
The Northern Arizona University Lumberjack Marching Band had the special privilege of opening the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Not only did the band make history as the first Arizona college band to perform at the parade, but they also participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony with the incomparable, Cynthia Erivo.
Under the direction of Director TJ Mack, NAU was the first marching band of the parade to light up the stage of Herald Square, and they delivered a fun, fantastic performance to “Get Your Kicks” (on Route 66).
“We used Pyware to stage both our Herald Square Performance, as well as the ribbon cutting ceremony with special guest, Cynthia Erivo! Being able to use Pyware’s Macy’s Grid to design our routine and then transfer it to a football field made the learning process for our students very smooth. Pyware was a crucial tool throughout our Macy’s Day experience, and we could not be more grateful!” said Director Mack.
The Temple University Diamond Marching Band’s first-ever performance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was a perfect crescendo for the program’s 100-year anniversary season. The students seemed to beam with excitement as they brought an abundance of energy and cheer in their debut parade performance.
Director Matt Brunner and Drill Designer Scott Goebel invested a significant amount of time and meticulous planning to prepare the performers for this special event. Scott composed different versions of the performance so students could view the drill from the Macy’s street view, as well as a version to learn on the practice field. They utilized the Ultimate Drill Book App for crossing counts to cement step-size into muscle memory. This assisted in the transition when the band moved from the practice field to the Star they had painted to replicate the parade venue.
After receiving Scott’s final drill file, Matt made some personnel edits, changed the overlay using the Floor Overlay tool, and set the opacity to 75% to add the most recent camera setup, store fronts, and Star size. All of this was extremely beneficial for the students to visualize the performance to the smallest detail.
“On parade day, it all paid off, as our drill, step size, placement on the Star, and formations came off flawlessly,” Director Brunner stated.
Since the high school opened its doors in 2019, the Catawba Ridge High School Marching Band has been named a three-time South Carolina Marching Band State Champion, attained several national awards, and received an invitation to perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
In one of the highlights of the parade, the band captivated the national audience in their performance paying tribute to the classic “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
“We rely on Pyware year after year with our outdoor and indoor programs, but it proved especially valuable during our Macy’s Parade preparation. The Macy’s grid let us visualize and clean the show more efficiently, and it made a noticeable difference in how confident our performers felt,” Assistant Band Director David Shives explained.
The Damien High School Spartan Regiment, three-time California State Band Division 2A Champions from La Verne, California, brought their spirit and energy to their first-ever performance at the parade with a collection of showbiz tunes, “Cinematic.”
Band Director JJ Magallon shared, “Pyware has been an essential tool for our program. It allows us to visualize, refine, and effectively communicate complex staging in a way that saves us time and ensures clarity for both staff and performers. For the parade specifically, the Macy’s grid was incredibly helpful. Being able to map out the exact performance zone in advance gave us confidence that the transitions, spacing, and overall impact would translate perfectly on the parade route and on camera.”
Drill Designer, David Lopez designed the drill for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day show.
Alcorn State University’s “Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite” is reputable for truly entertaining an audience wherever the invitation leads – from Honda Battle of the Bands, New Orleans Mardi Gras, and this year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Led by Director Everson Martin, the band brightened up the parade performing a medley of songs throughout the decades.
The University of North Alabama Marching Pride, from Florence Alabama, has produced legendary artists, such as Elvis and Johnny Cash. Director Lloyd Jones, led this band, with such rich musical history, down the streets of NYC for their first performance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
L.D. Bell Blue Raider Band is a consistent finalist in the Bands of America contests. They performed “The Longest Night.”
Drill Designer, Jaime Holly, stated,
“I’ve used Pyware for decades to design marching band, WGI and drum corps shows, but I had never used it to do Macy’s Thanksgiving Day drill until this year. The built in presets for the exact Macy’s street view were perfect and helped immensely. We were able to use the same 8 to 5 grid we practice on for fall drill, so it was easy for the band members to learn. Having the Star built into the presets, helped us to design a show where we were centered on the star for all the great TV shots. I had designed a show by hand for the parade decades ago, before Pyware, and I can’t overstate how much easier and better this was to put it all together on Pyware.”
La Banda De Musica La Primavera empowers young men and women between eight to seventeen to utilize their gift of music to better themselves, their education, and uplift the audiences they perform for, both within their country and internationally. The band represented Panama beautifully at their first parade appearance, performing “Sancocho Panameno.”
The Spartans Drum & Bugle Corps, led by Director Paul La Flamme, is a youth music and performing arts organization that has taken the DCI realm by storm, earning 8 World Championship titles. They brought holiday joy to the masses in their performance of Christmas classics.
The New York City Police Department Marching Band, led by Johan Gil, is comprised of 70 active-duty police officers, is a consistent fan favorite at the parade. They once again represented the spirit of NYC and the love for music that radiates throughout the city.
The Macy’s Great American Marching Band includes 225 high school musicians, color guard members, and dancers throughout the nation, selected for their exceptional skill and musicianship. Celebrating their 19th year, this entertaining band has become a yearly highlight of the parade.
One of the great thrills of the year for the Pyware Team is to assist band directors and designers in preparing for a once-in-a lifetime opportunity for their band at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Working with these individuals for years, the team has only grown more respectful for their craft and dedication to education. The passion they put into the activity, especially their students, deserves to be recognized on a national stage. Congratulations to all the marching bands, directors, and drill designers, that traveled to NYC to share their gift of music and a little more joy this holiday season!
Merry Christmas, everyone!
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