Normal Marching Band set to perform in London’s 2025 New Year’s Day Parade

Image Courtesy of  Normal Marching Band

NORMAL, Ill. – The Normal Marching Band has been invited to perform in the 2025 New Year’s Day Parade in London, England. The group is comprised of Normal Community and Normal West high school members.

The London New Year’s Day Parade Committee had various people stationed throughout the United States to keep an eye on prospering bands. The Director of Bands at Normal Community High School Paul Carter suggests the group stood out because he says their resume has been strong over the past couple of years.

“We were in the Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2021. We were also successful in competitions in the state of Illinois over the past few years,” he said.

The group won Class 6A in the Illinois State Marching Band Championships hosted at Illinois State University. They’ve had this title for two years.

He acknowledged the skill of both schools before the collaboration to create NMB, which was formed six years ago. The NMB has been on the map for a while and has received incredible success in the competition world.

The trip will be seven days long, with the highlight being the students playing in the parade in 2025. They would have the opportunity to explore London and its surrounding areas. The band will see specific sites, including Windsor Castle and the Tower of London.

The band will have other performances besides the parade. They will have the opportunity to perform at concert halls throughout the city that are associated with the parade.

“This is a gratifying invitation to receive because we know how hard the students have been working the past years,” Carter said. “We’ve been working towards a goal like this trip. It being international is exciting and it’s the first time this group will travel internationally.”

He elaborated on the opportunities the trip will provide to the team.

“We are excited to continue growing our resume and this is another thing we can add,” exclaimed Carter. “There are many more opportunities beyond the New Year’s Day Parade that this group can receive.”

Carter also shared how he is looking forward to share the trip with his students and can’t wait to embark on their adventure together.

“It is an exciting opportunity for the students to experience other cultures, travel internationally, and meet people in London and across the country,” Carter said.