London Calling: Lambert Band Invited to Parade


Lambert High's "Stampede" Marching Band has about a year and a half to prepare for a momentous occasion. The band will march down some two miles of London streets in 2015 when it performs in the 29th New Year’s Day Parade & Festival.

"We received a call about two months ago from the New Year's Day Parade office telling us we'd been selected," Band Director Scott McCloy told Cumming Patch, explaining that some six to eight high school and college groups are usually invited, typically after someone suggests them to parade organizers.

McCloy credits the band members with earning the invitation. "Our students have worked tremendously hard. The fact that we're a new school has not stopped them."

The band was treated on Wednesday to a special invitation to the parade. Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s great-grandson appeared at the school to deliver the invitation. Former Lord Mayor, Councillor Duncan Sandys (whose wife is a Macon native) formally invited the band in front of an audience of students, parents, school staff and school board members.

Each year in London more than 10,000 parade performers from around the world entertain a street audience of around 500,000 and an international TV audience of about 300 million. 

See the video accompanying this article for the Lord Mayor's invitation as well as a performance by the band's drum line.

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