SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – South Dakota students have taken on the streets of New York ahead of their performance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Two hundred and fifteen students from Lincoln High School’s marching band arrived in New York this week to represent South Dakota as one of six high school marching bands in the parade.
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“Getting to go represent our school, our city, our state out there on such a big stage, it means a lot to us,” junior Oliver Veerman said.
More than three million people are expected to line the 2.5 mile parade route and over 50 million tune in to various broadcasts every year, People reported.
Members of Lincoln High School’s Marching Patriots in New York City. Photo by Lincoln High School Marching BandLincoln Band rehearsing in New York City. Photo by Lincoln High School Marching Band
“I’m mostly excited about how we get a bigger crowd,” senior flutist Sulmy Sherman said. “We’re from South Dakota and we don’t really get, you know, that big of crowds, so being here in New York, it’s gonna be really fun to like hearing everybody cheer and that’ll be fun.”
Jacob Pagone, a senior piccolo player, added that he’s looking forward to “all the buzz, voices and a million people” in the crowd.
After a 27-hour bus ride, the band arrived in New Jersey Monday morning. That night, it rehearsed in front of the Macy’s star for NBC producers where it will perform on Thursday.
“My family has watched this parade multiple times, like every year,” Veerman explained. “We recognized the Macy’s Department store, we recognized the Macy’s star on the street. Seeing that in person and now marching on it, that was just really cool.”
Lincoln Band rehearsing in New York City. Photo by Lincoln High School Marching BandLincoln Band rehearsing in New York City. Photo by Lincoln High School Marching BandLincoln Band rehearsing in New York City. Photo by Lincoln High School Marching BandLincoln Band rehearsing in New York City. Photo by Lincoln High School Marching Band
Students, along with 400 parents, chaperones and staff on the trip, have also been checking out some New York landmarks. The trip started with a tour of the World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial, which was “a humbling experience,” according to Veerman.
On Tuesday, students went to Ellis Island and saw the Statue of Liberty.
“It was really fun going to Ellis Island today,” Sherman said. “I really enjoyed it and just hearing about the history of everything that happened there.”
Kari Hultgren, the mom of two daughters in Lincoln’s color guard, knew she and her husband would be going on the trip to watch them march as soon as it was announced.
“It is so exciting to get to see them live out their dream of being in such a big arena, of getting to perform on the streets of New York,” Hultgren said.
Before the parade Thursday, the band has two performances starting at 10 a.m. at the Central Park Bandshell on Wednesday morning.
“We’re going into this with a lot of pride and dedication and this is just gonna be an experience that all of us are gonna remember for the rest of our lives, for sure,” Veerman said.
