The Pride of Shawnee Marching Band is heading to Chicago!

Follow The Pride of Shawnee as they travel from Springfield to Chicago for the Thanksgiving Day Parade!

The Pride of Shawnee Marching Band in Chicago Photo Album

The Clark-Shawnee marching band is gearing up for a Thanksgiving parade to remember! The Pride of Shawnee Marching Band from Shawnee High School will perform at the 2024 Chicago Thanksgiving Parade on Thursday, November 28, 2024. On Thanksgiving, the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade is second only to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The parade can be enjoyed from home through Pluto TV, Paramount’s free streaming service. It will begin in Chicago at 8:00 am (CST) or 9:00 am (EST), Springfield time. The Pride of Shawnee Marching band is expected to be on television around 10:10-10:25 (EST), Springfield time.

Under the direction of Sarah Smith, The Pride of Shawnee Marching Band has 40 students who will be traveling to Chicago, a combination of musicians and color guard participants.

Following the traditional parade route, the band will march down historic State Street and perform for over 400,000 people and a national television audience. Last year, 3.54 million viewers tuned in to watch the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade.

“The Pride of Shawnee is extremely excited to represent Springfield and the state of Ohio in Chicago,” said Smith. “This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the students and a first for Clark-Shawnee. Our students have put in months of hard work to prepare for this parade, and we couldn’t be more proud of their dedication.”

This trip was made possible in part by The Carleton F. and Ruth T. Davidson Trust who generously donated funds to cover the cost of transportation to Chicago. Clark-Shawnee extends their sincere thanks to The Davidson Trust along with the many community members who supported the band’s fundraisers.

On Tuesday, November 26th at 4:00 pm the band will host a Community Night at Shawnee High School to showcase their Chicago Thanksgiving Parade sequence. Friends, family, and community members are invited to cheer on the band before they leave for Chicago.

The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade began in 1934 and has been a holiday tradition for many. In 2007, WGN America broadcasted the parade on television for the first time allowing viewers to tune in at home. The parade features staged live entertainment, marching bands, performing arts, equestrian teams, festival floats, honored guests, Santa Claus, and much more.

Today, the parade partners with WorldStrides Performing Arts to bring in the best high school marching bands from across the country. To participate, bands go through an application and screening process. All schools apply the year prior to the parade they wish to participate in and submit two performance videos.

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