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Rutherford County parents, family and friends have a bigger reason than ever to watch the 93rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in New York City.
Twelve Rutherford County high school graduates are among the 535 Western Carolina University (WCU) band members who will perform at the Parade. It will be broadcast live on NBC.
The WCU band is one of only two collegiate bands invited to march in this year's parade, and it will be making its second appearance in five years - a rarity for Macy's parade participants. The theme of their band's performance in front of Macy's is "Believe."
With more than 80% of the band's members from North Carolina, communities from the mountains to the coast will be represented by students from their respective hometowns and high schools.
Nine band students are Chase, two are Rutherford Early College High School (REaCH) graduates and the other band member, John Henry Deaver, is a graduate of R-S Central High School.
REaCH graduates are Gracie Powell and Libby Bradley. Chase graduates are Kelly Shea Thomas, Tyler Morrow, Avery Tate, Garet Perry, Kaylee Greene, Kristen McBrayer, Nick Scherer, Hannah Allan and Austin Cole.
Gracie is a Section Teacher Assistant for the alto/saxophone section.
Kelly is one of the band's drum majors
Gracie said of today's big day," "The biggest thing that I can say is just how grateful and blessed I am for it all. I'm working with the best people, getting to do something I never thought I'd be able to. The preparation has been a monster of its own, but so many people in the band program here (from members all the way to the directors) have worked with such a grace to keep us going towards Macy's."
Chase graduate Austin Cole said, "I remember waking up every Thanksgiving morning to watch the Mac's Thanksgiving Day parade on television and telling myself what a dream come true it would be to march down 34th Street in New York City. On Nov. 28, 2019, my dream will finally come true."
The parade is more than a road trip for these WCU students, said David Starnes, WCU's director of athletic bands and assistant professor of music. It's a three-hour, prime-time public relations campaign. "Kids see us on television and they say, 'Who is Western Carolina University' and it's a big draw for the university," Starnes said.
"We are thrilled beyond belief to represent Western Carolina University and the great state of North Carolina in the 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," Starnes said. "This event is a life-changer for band students of all ages and, personally, continues to bring out the kid in me. The respect and admiration I have for this parade goes without saying, and we are deeply honored to have been selected for participation in 2019.
The trip's big three expenses - hotel, food and travel - will cost close to $400,000, with another $350,000 in additional expenses for events and other experiential learning activities during the band's six days in New York. Neither the band nor Western Carolina University makes money from appearing in the parade, Starnes said.
"Every group that goes to the Macy's Parade is pretty much on their own as far as how they get there and how they pay for it," Starnes said. "And you don't get paid to march in the parade. That's another thing that people have asked me many times over the last year or so, 'How much money does Macy's pay you to be in the parade?' You don't make anything. It's all out-of-pocket and the only paycheck you get is Thanksgiving morning when you're on TV for millions of people."
The band left for New York last Saturday and returns on Friday, Nov. 29. In addition to rehearsing, the band will see the tourists sites in New York City.
Founded in 1924, the world-famous event attracts more than 3.5 million spectators lining the streets of New York, and 50 million at-home viewers. The world's largest parade, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is televised nationally by NBC.
