What comes to mind when you think of Thanksgiving? Is it the family, the turkey, the pie? Or perhaps it’s the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a longstanding holiday tradition in which the UMass Minuteman Marching Band (UMMB) will perform on Thursday, Nov. 28. The band is one of 11 chosen from across the country set to march in the event. The honor was not lost on its staff and nearly 400 members as they rehearsed on Nov. 19.
“It’s a chance to show people well beyond the borders of Massachusetts what our band is all about,” said Tim Anderson, director of the UMass Minuteman Marching Band.
“It’s an honor. I can’t think of anything that’s more prestigious … It’s just pure American tradition,” freshman journalism major and tuba player Cam McLaughlin said.
“Watching the parade has always been a big tradition in my family,” McLaughlin continued, “and I’m very, very stoked to be a part of it.”
Marielle Chrupcala, a senior music education major and a drum major in the band, also grew up watching the parade every Thanksgiving. “I remember wondering, sitting on the couch, and thinking, ‘Oh man, all those college bands are so cool!’” Chrupcala said.
When asked how she feels performing in the parade now, Chrupcala responded, “Dream come true.”
Having already played the event in 2013, the UMMB is taking its experience to inform this year’s performance. Rehearsals have been underway the entire month of November as the band gears up for the 2.5 mile parade route. The band only gets 75 seconds on the big red Macy’s star in Herald Square, and their performance will be broadcast live on NBC. What they’ll be performing, however, is a mystery until the big moment.
“We’re going to do something that tells the story of UMass. Not just the band, but UMass, or institution, or university. So I’ll leave it at that,” Anderson said.
In terms of what changes have been made to prepare, members of the band have had to adjust to the size of the performance area on the star.
“We’ve kind of had to learn drill in a way that we’ve never had to before. On the football field, we have the lines, and the inserts, and the space. Well, this time, we’re kind of going based off a star,” Chrupcala said.
“We’ve definitely had to change our approach,” McLaughlin said.
“The performing venue in front of the Macy’s store is so much smaller than a football field, and our ensemble is quite large,” Anderson said.
He continued, “So the band having to understand that it’s such a minuet area … that’s taken a while. But we’ve kind of turned a corner there.”
“It’s been a really incredibly unique challenge, that obviously no one that’s in the band right now as a member has ever done before. It’s been incredible to see how everyone has risen to the challenge, and taken it on. We’re all kind of really running with it,” Chrupcala said.
While preparing for the parade may be a challenge, the overall feeling within the band is excitement.
“If the marching band is an ice cream sundae, the Macy’s day parade is that cherry on top,” Anderson said.
“I’m most excited for the moments right after we finish the star routine … I think we’re gonna put on a performance we’re gonna be proud of no matter what,” Chrupcala said.
“I’m hoping to magically run into Al Roker … probably not going to happen. But a more realistic answer? The big balloons. On TV, they’re always so giant, so it’s hard to imagine how it must look if you’re marching in front, behind, or near one,” McLaughlin said.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place on Thursday, Nov. 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., and will be broadcasted on NBC and Telemundo. The parade will also be streaming on Peacock.
Shannon Moore can be reached at [email protected].
