Wyandotte Marching Chiefs Are Revved Up and Ready to Perform at Indianapolis 500 This Weekend

The are lined up and ready for a nationally televised performance this weekend at the Indianapolis 500.

marching band left for Indiana on Friday morning and have a full weekend ahead of them, including a parade performance on Saturday and a prerace show on Sunday.

"There are a few race fans in the band, but most of the marching band students are really most excited about performing for over 600,000 people this weekend,” said Mark D'Angelo, Roosevelt’s instrumental music director. “This is a big honor for our students, and I am happy to once again represent our community and the state of Michigan.”

The students will play during the IPL 500 Festival Parade in downtown Indianapolis at noon Saturday and again at 8 a.m. Sunday during the Indianapolis 500 Pageant parade on the very track where the actual race occurs.

The IPL parade will be telecast at 5 p.m. Saturday on the VERSUS cable network. The Indianapolis 500 will be shown live on ABC.

D'Angelo said it's his goal to find a spot where the band can travel to every other year, especially if that performance comes with national media attention. In 2009, the band traveled to Washington, D.C. and performed during President Barack Obama's inauguration.

“While TV coverage is not always guaranteed, it is still really neat for mom and dad to be able to watch TV and know that their child is participating in the event they're viewing," D'Angelo said.

The IPL 500 Festival Parade consistently ranks among the nation's top three parades, after the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

“The 500 Festival Parade attracts 350,000 spectators and is estimated to be even larger this year, as the Indianapolis 500 Race is celebrating its 100th anniversary," D'Angelo said.

The Wyandotte Marching Chiefs were chosen to perform by a parade selection committee that reviewed videos of all band applicants. Students and families spent months raising funds for the event, which cost each child $568 to attend. The fee covers travel, lodging, food and all planned events.

“While not all the band members were able to sign up for the trip to Indy, I feel that we will be well represented with an 88-member band and a good, balanced instrumentation," D'Angelo said.