Sarah Hendrix didn’t pay much attention to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade until Western Carolina University’s marching band participated in it in 2019.
“I remember watching the parade that year. I was so excited they were going. They have a 500-member band. It was cool that they got to do that. I still have videos on my phone that I recorded from TV,” said Hendrix, who became aware of the college while considering her post high school graduation options.
Now, it’s Hendrix’s turn as she takes the two-and-a-half-mile parade route in New York City Nov. 28 with fellow members of the Carolina Band, the University of South Carolina’s marching band. Not only will she perform in the iconic parade, which began in 1924, but she will be among a smaller group of band members who are set to appear on the “Today” show on Wednesday morning.
The South Aiken High School graduate began playing the clarinet at Kennedy Middle School and continued through high school. She auditioned for the Carolina Band the summer before her freshman year.
Preparations for the trip have been in the works for several years.
Hendrix said during her freshman year, the band took photos on the steps of the South Carolina Statehouse that would be used for the band’s Macy’s application.
Before the first football game last season, band members learned the news that they were going to the parade. And school officials led the way when it came to fundraising to ensure that all 375 band members could make the trip.
“Students did not have to fundraise anything,” Hendrix said. “It was a relief that we did not have to worry about it. Some bands don’t get the luxury of that.”
During a Nov. 15 ceremony, Jay Jacobs, director of the Carolina Band, acknowledged the support of many university departments, business sponsors and individuals. Among them were USC Women’s Basketball head coach Dawn Staley, Gamecocks football head coach Shane Beamer and his wife Emily, and USC alumnus and Grammy-winning artist Darius Rucker, who each donated $25,000 to top off the fundraising.
The band left Columbia early Sunday via a bus caravan. Aside from some free time to take in the sights, an evening dinner cruise was planned for Monday and a chance to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall later in the week.
There will be some work in between the fun with practice time on Tuesday and the “Today” show performance early Wednesday followed by a “mini concert” showcasing the Carolina Band and the University of Massachusetts marching band.
Parade day will be a long one with wake up around 1 or 2 a.m., she said. The band will have an early morning rehearsal of its holiday repertoire at Herald Square before the members line up for the 8 30 a.m. parade start.
The parade will be aired on NBC.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News, has covered Augusta’s news for 35 years. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
