Local marching bands get parade spotlight

Students from Chippewa Valley, Cousino and Dakota high schools get television face time

Before they sat down for a Thanksgiving dinner, millions of viewers in person and watching on television got a taste of Macomb County’s outstanding marching bands on Thursday morning.

High school student musicians from Chippewa Valley in Clinton Township, Cousino in Warren, and Macomb Township’s Dakota entertained the crowd at America’s Thanksgiving Parade presented by Gardner White.

A one-hour portion of the procession, from 10-11 a.m., was broadcast nationally on NBC-TV while the entire event was shown on WDIV-TV (Channel 4). That segment was aired in 185 TV markets across the country.

“Dakota High School Marching Band has performed for more than 15 years in this parade,” WDIV anchorman Devin Scillian said as the Macomb Township school’s band strode across the screen.

The trio of marching performers from Macomb County was part of only eight schools selected for the 96th annual holiday parade, the second largest in the country.

The parade route stepped off at Woodward Avenue and Kirby Street, adjacent to the Detroit Institute of Arts in Midtown, and ended at Congress Street, just south of Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit.

Among the special guests were University of Michigan alum and ABC/ESPN analyst Jalen Rose, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, Zurin Villanueva from “Tina — The Tina Turner Musical,” the Rev. Wendell Anthony, and Santa Claus himself.

PHOTOS BY GEORGE SPITERI — FOR THE MACOMB DAILY Members of the Chippewa Valley Big Reds Marching Band made their presence known Thursday on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit.

Cousino Patriots Marching Band members had crisp movements and sounds at the parade.

A Dakota band member looks to be justifiably proud of the group’s performance.