High School Bands Shine at DC July 4 Parade

The Marine Band performs at a July 4 barbecue hosted by President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama for military members and families on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. (Mandel Mgan/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON—Thousands celebrated the anniversary of America’s independence at the annual parade down Constitution Avenue in downtown Washington, D.C. The parade started from the National Archives and traveled 10 blocks down past President’s Park, just south of the White House.

The Park Police led the parade, followed closely by contingents from each of the five military services, as well as each service’s marching band.

Falun Dafa made a strong showing this year as it has in the previous years. Around a hundred Falun Dafa Divine Land Marching Band members marched as crowds cheered them along.

There were many other bands in the parade. The great majority of the marching bands in Sunday’s parade were high school students.

More than 20 different high school bands from a variety of states marched in the parade Sunday.

Donna Gomez of Music Celebrations International selected and invited the bands that performed Sunday. “A lot of these groups have won local or national competitions, so they are really well-traveled,” said Gomez, speaking with The Epoch Times. She said the organization tries to get one band from each state, but not all bands are able to afford the trip.

A lot of groups do want to travel. “For them to come to Washington, D.C., they get the chance to perform, they get to see a lot of their own history,” said Gomez.

She said many schools got out for the summer a month ago, but these students have been rehearsing and going to school everyday in the hot weather, giving up their summer vacation. “These kids have put a lot of time into it all,” she said and some come just for “the privilege of walking down Constitution Avenue.”

One accomplished band that came for the parade is Arkansas’s Springdale High School Marching Bulldog Band. Band Director Russell Robinson said the band has been coming every three years for the past 30 years. He said they came to represent Arkansas, and that this was not just a fun trip—it presents an educational opportunity.

“We could do a lot of things where we could ride rides and see a little bit, but this, you can touch and feel American history,” said Robinson. For the past 47 years the band has received superior ratings in marching, concert, and sight reading in competition and is known in the state.

Robinson said the band pays for the trip through fundraisers, support from the community, students’ personal money, and a major contribution from Tyson Foods Inc., which has its headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas.

The West Virginia Wayne High School Red Regime Marching Band didn’t have to travel as far as the Arkansas Bulldogs, but this was their first year participating in the July 4 parade. The last time their band traveled was 1985. For them the chance to march and perform in the capital had special significance: to honor and remember their U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, who died June 28. Byrd was the longest-serving member of the Senate, he was first elected in 1959. Members of the band wore a white rose to honor their senator.

The Seattle All City Band traveled from far away Washington state to join Sunday’s parade. Band Director Marcus Pimpleton said the group has been preparing for the trip for two years.

He said the Seattle All City Band last came in 1985 and two years ago the band members decided they would make the trip again after 25 years. He said they have been raising money and saving money for the trip for the past two years, stretching the payments over time.

The Seattle All City Band has students from all the schools in the Seattle area. They rehearse three nights a week, but only during the summertime.

Another marching band of note was the California Repercussions Band, which marched to songwriter Graham Nash’s “Our House.”