Hawaii All-State Marching Band to perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

Macy’s Parade officials today announced that they have selected the Hawai‘i All-State Marching Band to perform in the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The band, composed of 400 students from across the state, will entertain millions of spectators on Thursday, November 24, 2011.

The Hawai‘i All-State Marching Band under the leadership of John Riggle, is one of 10 bands selected for the Parade out of more than 150 applicants nationwide.

File image by Wendy Osher.

“The unique Hawai‘i All-State Marching Band, which will be comprised of selected students from all public and private high schools representing every island in our state, is extremely proud to be given the opportunity to not only showcase the talented youth of our island state, but also the diversity of the people’s and cultures that make up the fabric of Hawai‘i today,” said Riggle.

“Marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an opportunity of a lifetime for Hawai‘i students.  It is a unique chance to showcase their musical talent at one of the most popular national holiday events, while sharing the Aloha spirit with a worldwide audience of millions,” said Hawai‘i Governor Linda Lingle. “The practice and commitment by students from across the state who will be nominated to the Hawai‘i All-State Marching Band will enhance their overall educational experience… I am so proud of our ‘ambassadors of music’,” said Lingle.

“The joy and unbridled talent seen in Hawai‘i’s best high school musicians will surely delight the Parade’s millions of spectators. It is a testament to Hawai‘i’s exemplary music education that we are able to invite a band that will be put together with the best student musicians from across the state by a fantastic team lead by Mr. John Riggle,” said Wesley Whatley, associate creative director of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Hawai‘i All-State Marching Band performed for the first time in the Macy’s Day parade in 2005.

For more than 80 years, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the start of the holiday season.  Growing in size and scale, the Parade marches down a more than 2-mile route in New York City with more than 8,000 participants in tow. The parade draws an estimated 3.5 million spectators on the streets of New York City each year, in addition to 50 million viewers from across the country that watch the event on television.