PHILADELPHIA, Penn. — While the Scotland High band may not have made it on TV during the 99th annual Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, the trip was overall very successful.
Band Director Britton Goodwin said that there were no problems with students, buses, or logistics during the trip, with everything running smoothly. The only issue the band faced was the cold — a record-setting 18 degrees.
“Even after we warmed up students still had icicles coming out of their horns,” Goodwin said. “The students really did perform well, though, despite the cold.”
Goodwin said they were somewhat prepared for the cold, telling students in advance to bring layers to bundle under their uniforms.
Despite how well the band played, just as the performance began, ABC, which was airing the parade, went to a commercial break just as the Fighting Scots arrived. The band was still shown on the live stream and the performance can be found on YouTube, but Goodwin said it was slightly disappointing.
“They always say that there is a chance that you could end up not being on TV because of commercials, so we were prepared for that, “Goodwin said. “You come such a far way to perform you wish you could have been, so it’s a little disappointing but we did have parents who were there who posted videos.”
The trip not only allowed for the students and chaperones to partake in the parade but also get to do some exploring. On the first day, the band spent the day around Philadelphia, getting to see the Liberty Bell, the Franklin Institute, Independence Hall and take a walking tour.
On the second day, the band drove two hours to New York City, which Goodwin says he was really glad they got to do. In New York, the band got to visit Rockefeller Center, do some shopping in Times Square and tour Radio City Music Hall.
“Being in a place like that you can’t do everything in a day,” Goodwin said. “But we were pleased we got to do what we did.”
Goodwin says that the parade, which is the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States, is a great stepping stone to get into larger parades such as the Rose Bowl parade or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. The parades take around three years to process so Goodwin hopes that in four or five years the band will get the opportunity to perform in them.
Overall he was glad that the band got to go up and perform.
“It was a memorial experience for everyone, students and chaperones,” Goodwin said. “Even I really enjoyed it, so much goes into it by the time we leave I’m already tired but we all had a great time.”
To see the band’s performance follow the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLvm89FobLY.
