Million Dollar Band represents University of Alabama at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Ken Roberts, The Tuscaloosa News
·1 min read
The University of Alabama's Million Dollar Band performed Thursday in New York City as part of the 95th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. [Photo by Jason Mun/groupphotos.com]
The University of Alabama's Million Dollar Band performed Thursday in New York City as part of the 95th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. [Photo by Jason Mun/groupphotos.com]

The University of Alabama's Million Dollar Band made a little history Thursday in New York City.

For the first time, UA's marching band participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Million Dollar Band played “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and escorted Santa in his float, which concluded the 95th annual parade.

The Thanksgiving Day parade was televised to a nationwide audience on NBC and its streaming service Peacock.

Drill work for the parade began about six weeks ago at UA's Tuscaloosa, marking out the Macy's performance grid on Butler Field, the practice space named for the Million Dollar Band's 1935 to 1968 director, Col. Carleton K. Butler.

The University of Alabama Million Dollar Band performs in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021. [Photo by Frank Zimmermann/groupphotos.com]
The University of Alabama Million Dollar Band performs in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021. [Photo by Frank Zimmermann/groupphotos.com]

UA was chosen for the parade from more than 100 applicants, based on sound and appearance, along with bios and recommendation letters.

Originally, the Million Dollar Band was scheduled to perform in the 2020 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade but the COVID-19 pandemic canceled those plans.

The Million Dollar Band was founded at UA in 1912.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Million Dollar Band marches in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade