One South Carolina Marching Band Will March For Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

One South Carolina marching band will march for Macy's next year. Back in September, the University of South Carolina Marching Band found out they would get to march in the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Known as The Mighty Sound Of The Southeast, the exciting announcement was revealed during band practice.  This is going to be great for both the University and the state of South Carolina as the band gets to represent both in front of millions of viewers on one of the biggest stages of the year!  Of course, other bands will also be in the parade and here's how the marching selection process works.

The selection process for these bands begins about 18 months from the parade year they’re auditioning for.  Macy’s has their own Parade Band Selection Committee that evaluates specific requirements like the band’s national accomplishments, past performances, and how they impact their community.  Once the committee runs through all the applicants and makes their selections, they go on a cross-country tour to surprise the winning schools.  To commemorate the celebration and honor, each band is presented with a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade drumhead.

Marching bands have been a key feature of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade since it began in 1924.  Back then, the parade featured just one marching band.  Today, around 10 high school and university bands are selected from across the country and each one must bring it’s own unique style to the parade.

Macy's gets each selected band started with $10,000.  After that, each band has to raise their funds through sponsorships and donations.  One South Carolina marching band will march for Macy's next year and if you'd like to help USC's marching band get to the Big Apple for the BIG parade, you can donate here.

SOURCES: Fox Carolina |Macy's Thanksgiving.fandom.com |sc.edu