Seneca Valley Marching Band Honored For Kentucky Derby Parade Effort

The Seneca Valley High School Marching Band fared well in last weekend’s Kentucky Derby festivities, capturing a top honor in the 62nd annual Pegasus Parade - one of the largest events associated with the initial race in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.

For the third time, Seneca Valley won the grand prize in the Basil Caummisar Battle of the Bands. The “Roaring” Raider Band previously captured the award in 2007 and most recently in 2013. The award-winning performance was seen by an estimated 100,000 along the route of the parade, the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Founding Event.

Debuting in 1956 on a budget of $640, the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade is the Kentucky Derby Festival’s oldest event. Today, the Pegasus Parade is one of the largest in the country, contributing an estimated impact of more than $22 million to the local economy. This year’s parade featured over 100 units, including 13 floats, 11 equestrian units, 6 inflatables, 11 marching bands, 2 push floats and 38 specialty units.

Over the years, the Pegasus Parade has featured as grand marshals celebrities such as Muhammad Ali, John Wayne, Loretta Lynn, William Shatner, Bill Monroe, Diane Sawyer, Colonel Harland Sanders, Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf and the 2013 University of Louisville men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Photo via the Seneca Valley School District.