By Jerenie Sands, The Daily Athenaeum
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Pride of West Virginia Mountaineer Marching Band is set to perform in the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time since 2016.
The Pride is one of 12 college bands invited to perform at the annual, nationally-televised parade.
Cheldon Williams, associate director of bands and director of athletic bands at WVU, referred to the opportunity as an honor, an exciting milestone and a serious responsibility for the band.
“It’s the thrill of a lifetime and the gold standard for parades, especially for college marching bands but also for high school bands. After the initial excitement, the seriousness and weight of it all set in. While others are excited, we’ve moved well into the work required to make it happen,” he said.
Preparations are underway for members, including choreographing a routine and collecting funds to cover travel and lodging expenses.
“Preparations are ongoing. We’re selecting the repertoire, training students for marching, and working on choreography. Fundraising is a huge part of our focus right now, as we’re still about $30,000 short. We’re working closely with our development office to secure the donations we need,” Williams said.
