WOODLAND HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND PARTICIPATES IN THE 2018 MACY’S THANKSGIVING PARADE

The Woodland Wildcat Marching Band from Cartersville, GA was selected from over 5,000 applicants to be 1 of just 12 marching bands in the 2018 Parade. During the week of Thanksgiving, 213 students and 32 chaperones flew from Atlanta to New York City for a whirlwind week of sightseeing, musicals, rehearsals and – of course – marching in the 2.5-mile parade. Little did they know they would be making history in more ways than one as it ended up being the coldest parade in Macy’s 94-year history.

After arriving in NYC, the students started off with a bus ride to see the city and ended at Radio City Music Hall to watch the Rockettes’ Christmas show. As the week continued, they attended a matinee of the musical Wicked, a visit to the Natural Museum of History, Central Park, a boat ride around the Statue of Liberty and also visited One World Trade and the 9/11 Museum. On the big day, the students had a call time from 3-5 am to rehearse their show and for camera blocking. They returned around 7 and finally got to start marching sometime after 10. It was so cold some of the brass instruments froze up as they waited, and they used the NYPD generators to defrost the valves before their start. Despite the arctic temperatures, their performance was beyond expectations and awesome!

NOTS Logistics was a Crescendo sponsor of the Wildcat Band and through their generosity, these students had an amazing, once in a lifetime, never to be forgotten experience. Thank you!