Union High School Band Prepares To Travel To NYC For Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

Union's Renegade Regiment is getting ready to leave for New York City to play in the 95th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

The band was last seen at the parade in 2013.

The band’s competitive season’s been over for about 2 weeks, but its work is far from over.

Tonight, the Marching Band presented a send-off performance before playing for a live audience of more than 3 million and a worldwide television audience exceeding 50 million viewers.

The band will soon sound off in the streets of New York City. First, more than 200 students, staff and chaperones must pile onto 5 charter busses early Sunday morning for their 27-hour drive.

“It’s, it’s amazing. I mean never been to New York and I can’t tell which one I’m more excited for. New York or the parade. I mean all of its just gonna be a blast,” said Shaun Riggins.

Riggins is one of 185 students with Union's Renegade Regiment who will march in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“Been playing trumpet since 6th grade. I switched over to French horn about 7th grade and for marching band, I’ve played [this] all 4 years,” said Riggins.

The band held a sendoff performance at Union's Tuttle Stadium tonight to give folks a sneak peek of the televised performance.

“In addition to the competitive show were also assembling additional repertoire which naturally requires more time, more effort from the students,” said Band Director Charles Pisarra.

Band Director Charles Pisarra said they’ll get up for a tv rehearsal at 2 a.m. on Thanksgiving, ahead of a 2.5-mile March through the city.

“We don’t have tall buildings here at our campus to practice so the acoustics the playing environment are a little bit different on the street than they would be on the football field,” said Pisarra. “In addition to the competitive show were also assembling additional repertoire which naturally requires more time, more effort from the students.”

About a dozen students from the class of 2021 who helped fundraise for last year’s trip which was canceled because of the pandemic are putting on their uniform once more to perform.

“Those students have been learning from afar, so we’ve been sending video clips and music and computerized animation of the drill formations. Some won’t do it until rehearsal on Tuesday two days before, so it’s a little stressful but they’re great kids,” said Pisarra.

Pisarra said they plan to go to Rockefeller center, see a Broadway show, and have a big Thanksgiving dinner of 400 people. He said they will do plenty of sightseeing. The band will head back from the big apple Saturday after Thanksgiving.