Avon Marching Band to Be in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Avon Marching Black and Gold will head to New York City to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at the end of the month.

The annual parade began in 1924 as a celebration for many first-generation immigrants to America and their love for the country. It didn’t hurt that the fun also marked the official kickoff of the Christmas season.

It’s been televised since the late 1940s and brings in an average of 3.5 million people to New York City to attend the famous event in person.

It’s three hours long and follows a 2.5-mile route from West 77th Street and Central Park West, ending at Macy’s Herald Square. More than 50 million households across the country will gather around the television to see which of their favorite balloons will appear this year, along with popular characters like Snoopy, Spider-Man and Mickey Mouse.

Santa of course makes his appearance, and the amazing marching bands keep the music playing throughout.

How does a band get to perform in one of the most famous parades in the world? They apply and have to meet criteria that involves musical experience, versatility, showmanship and marching ability.

The Macy’s Band Selection Committee looks for bands that capture viewers’ attention with talent and stage presence, and the Avon community can’t think of anyone better suited for the job.

Avon’s Marching Black and Gold learned they had been selected to participate in late 2023, and now the time is here.

“We’ve been preparing since the summer,” said Harloff. “We’ve already taught some of what we’ll use, so as November arrives and we’re all exhausted both physically and mentally, we’re ready to go.”

The marching band begins practicing in mid-May and will compete through mid-November – a long season full of hard work and a lot of fun.

“There’s a culture we’ve built here,” Harloff said. “All bands work really hard, but when you build a culture of excellence, the work ethic of the students and staff is inspiring.”

Participating bands in the Macy’s parade have the option to play a piece from their competitive season or select new music for the parade. Avon chose the latter.

“There is a standard Macy’s administration wants to uphold, but they don’t have specific guidelines,” Harloff said. “We chose a cool idea. We’ll do something completely different. Our costumes will be the same and some of the props we’ve used in the past will be used – but no music from our competitive show.”

The music will be a medley from holiday-themed movies and television. According to Harloff, it’s entertaining and they’re hoping to bring joy and laughter to the audience. They made it a point to not add extra work to an already jam-packed practice and competitive schedule.

“We practice a lot already, and the kids have school, extracurriculars and other things,” Harloff said. “One of the reasons we’re great is because we work so hard, but our goal was not to add more to the schedule. That’s why we got the Macy’s music passed out back in June and we knew it ahead of time. Everyone from the band to the color guard to the drumline will have to learn more for a completely different show.”

By now they’ve worked in practices here and there to run through the Macy’s material, in addition to their show for the competitive season.

It may come as a surprise to some, but the band’s music while marching through Manhattan is only a minute-long compilation, played on a loop for those attending in person.

Harloff said viewers at home won’t see that music – only the piece they’ll play when they arrive at Herald Square, hopefully.

There’s no guarantee the Avon Marching Black and Gold will appear in the live television show, but the band will be notified when they are being filmed, and will reset to play their chosen piece during that time. They’ll also know where the band is in the lineup, and will be able to share that info on social media ahead of time.

“We’re going to have a great time no matter what,” Harloff said. “The students are going to remember this forever.”

It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and 286 Avon High School students will be on the trip, among numerous staff, parents, chaperones and fans. They’ll enjoy six days on the East Coast and stay in Newark, New Jersey, just across the Hudson River.

“We have music travel consultants and great friends of ours organizing everything,” Harloff said. “In addition to playing in the Macy’s parade, we’ll see a Broadway show, tour Manhattan, see the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center complex, and take a dinner cruise on the Hudson.”

The band director has personal experience performing music in the Big Apple. He remembers his first trip to New York City to perform with his all-star drum and bugle corps at 19 years old. It’s something Harloff will never forget, and a memory he hopes Avon students will take with them too.

“You can look at pictures and videos online of one of the greatest cities in the world, but being there is completely different,” Harloff said. “Most of these students have never been there and it’ll be memorable for them. Assuming the Macy’s parade continues well into the future, they’ll be able to tell their own children about it one day.”

The band members hope the Avon community will join them in their excitement. After all, many businesses, organizations and individuals have taken part in supporting the high school students.

“The band doesn’t do a lot of traveling,” Harloff said. “I hope our community is proud when they are watching us on Thanksgiving Day. It’s something everyone here in Avon can relate to. Everyone gets the tradition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. You don’t have to have a student at Avon High School. They live here and these are our kids, and I hope they all feel a part of it with us.”