The UMass Minuteman Marching Band will march and perform at the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Nov. 28.

This is the second time the band has appeared in the Macy’s Parade lineup, having traveled for the event in 2013. Unlike their previous trip, the band will also perform a second time with the University of South Carolina’s Carolina Band, another group marching the parade route on Thanksgiving.

The performance in New York holds a national spotlight on the band, which could increase the visibility and recognition of the program. Dr. Timothy T. Anderson, the director of the marching band, said that, “People from around here know all about our band, but in a lot of cases people associate the best bands in the country with a lot of the best football programs … Sometimes really excellent bands aren’t in that spotlight.”

Alex Croteau, a sophomore Applied Math and Economics major who plays trumpet, said, “I’m excited … about being on the star, being on television. It’s not just representing our band and our college; it’s about representing the state and the Commonwealth as a whole.”

Croteau described the preparation that the band has undergone leading up to next week. “We’ve been out here 4:40-6:10 [p.m.] every day, Monday through Friday. We’ve been rehearsing here pretty much as much as we possibly can … It’s a big commitment. For me, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For a lot of people, I think it’s the same thing … We’re taking this super seriously.”

Rehearsing for Macy’s comes with particular challenges, according to Anderson. “The Macy’s storefront is much smaller than a football field, so being able to constrict your movement is the hardest part about it. Once you get that corner turned, it’s actually not too hard to put together – but it takes a while.”

According to Anderson, any band wishing to feature in the parade must submit an application including videos of their performances, “both marching on the field and parade marching.” Optionally, a band can also submit letters of support, which state representative Mindy Domb and state senator Joanne Comerford both wrote for the band.

“We’re supported by the university. We can’t do this without the support of the Chancellor.” Anderson emphasized.

Despite the intensity of the preparation, the band’s members are excited and in high spirits. Jonathan Hastings, a freshman Biology major who plays trumpet, said, “I’m excited to be in the city with this giant band. I love New York City. There’s so many things to do there. We’re playing with the Carolina Band, and we’re eating at all these places … I’m really excited for that.”

According to Hastings, the band is also “more ahead in terms of preparation then [they] were in 2013.”

“In my four years here, I’ve never seen a band as capable and as willing… to really take on a challenge like this,” Marielle Chrupcala, a senior Music Education major and drum major, said. “We’ve been working really hard, and I’m really excited to show that the Power and Class of New England is back.”

Emily Albert can be reached at [email protected].