More than 400 high school band directors from across the country — including several from Southern California — will march in the 97th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Thursday, Nov. 23.
The nationally televised parade, which will begin at 5:30 a.m. on the West Coast, will feature a dozen marching bands, along with performances by John Batiste, Brandy, Chicago and Cher, among others, Macy’s announced in a news release.
Among the participants is the Saluting America’s Band Directors entry, which will honor the role of music teachers everywhere and will be under the direction of renowned band director Jon Waters.
Local entry participants hail range from Riverside to the South Bay — including former San Pedro High band director Darnella Davidson.
“I have marched in the Rose Parade for the past 20 years as an associate director with the LAUSD All City Band,” she said in a written comment. “When I heard the Directors Band was headed to Macy’s, I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to join in on the experience. This will be my first time in New York and perhaps my only chance to march in this iconic parade.”
Also taking part as the youngest participant will be Allison Dinger of Menifee, a junior music education major at California Baptist University, in Riverside. Dinger aspires to be a band director in a California public high school, according to Angela Park, one of her teachers.
Dinger will play trumpet in the Saluting America’s Band Directors parade entry — and is the only college student in the group.
Other participating band directors from the region include Tim Suits from Dodson Middle School in Rancho Palos Verdes; and Karin Lopez from Rancho Dominguez, in the Carson area.
On Wednesday, Nov. 22, Lopez walked with the group near the parade grounds to get a feel for the route.
“I’ve done the Rose Parade,” she said in a telephone interview — and she’s thrilled to now participate in the iconic Thanksgiving parade.
Lopez said she watches the parade on television every year. And she’s thrilled to be one of the band directors representing the Southland, along with those from the Inland Empire to Carson.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase how music has changed my life,” the Norwalk resident said. “Through the trombone, I’ve been able to perform in China and all over the country.”
Lopez was a student at Bell High School when she signed up for band as a way to avoid a physical education course.
“More people have started to realize the importance of arts and music now” for students, she said. “It gave me a great place to find myself.”
The group was checking out the parade’s massive balloons and giant turkey as they walked the course the day before the event.
“It’s super cold,” Lopez said, but “I’m thrilled to be here.”
CNN contributed to this report.