Over 30 million people watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television each year. Another 3.5 million view it in person. But only around 8,000 get to be in the parade.
For the first time, the University of South Carolina’s Carolina Band was one of only 11 marching bands selected to march in the 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 27. Several students with Barnwell County connections were among the 375 members who marched the 2-½ mile route through New York City.
“There are few other pinnacles of marching band excellence than being invited to perform in front of millions in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade,” Tayloe Harding, dean of USC’s School of Music, said in a statement.
Holly Thomas, a 2023 graduate of Barnwell High School, was one of the USC students with Barnwell County roots who performed in the parade. The sophomore biological sciences major plays alto sax for the Carolina Band.
“I’m sad I missed Thanksgiving with my family, but it’s a good tradeoff. We all were glad we got this opportunity,” said Thomas, daughter of Jean and Ashley Thomas of Barnwell.
The band left South Carolina early Sunday morning, Nov. 24 on buses to New York City. Bus issues and other traffic delays put them over four hours behind schedule, but the group finally arrived in The Big Apple.
“Once we got there, the whole week was pretty exciting,” said Thomas.
The band had a lot of free time to explore New York City’s attractions. Some saw Broadway shows like “Wicked” while others visited sites like the 9/11 Museum and Central Park.
In preparation for their big day on television, the marching musicians rehearsed a couple times in the city and once in New Jersey. They even performed with the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band at New York City’s Pier 16.
On Thanksgiving morning, the band had a 1:30 a.m. call time to get to their 3:20 a.m. rehearsal at Herald Square, which is where the televised performances happen. They had 10 minutes to rehearse.
Following breakfast at Margaritaville, the band joined 28 clown crews, giant inflatables of a plethora of characters, floats depicting New York City’s attractions, 10 other marching bands, well-known singers, and Santa on the parade route where they were met with chilly temperatures in the upper 40s, rain, and a slight breeze.
“It was very fun but very cold and very wet,” said Maggie Davisson, a sophomore trumpet player who grew up in Williston before moving to Aiken. She said she had to wring out her gloves during the parade due to the rain. Band members kept their plumes inside their uniforms to try to keep them presentable for their television moment.
Davisson grew up watching the parade on television at her grandmother’s house and always enjoyed seeing the bands and The Rockettes perform. Though she didn’t get to enjoy her normal Thanksgiving traditions this year, she got to perform in the parade and saw a live performance of The Rockettes that evening. She played in the band at Williston-Elko Middle School and South Aiken High, but she didn’t march until going to USC.
Her parents, Martha Rivers (Williston native) and Doug Davisson, along with her two sisters joined her in New York City for Thanksgiving.
Once the band reached Herald Square, they performed about 30 seconds of an up-tempo version of the Christmas carol "Greensleeves" before transitioning to the Gamecock fight song as they marched away from the plaza.
“It went by a lot quicker than thought it would. It was a fantastic experience. Performing in the parade is something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life,” said Zach Reid, a sophomore who plays base drum.
He went to elementary school in Barnwell before his family moved to Aiken County where he graduated from Midland Valley High School. His grandmother, Patty Gooding, lives in Barnwell.
Reid enjoyed his first trip to New York City. His mother, Heather Duffer (a Barnwell native), stepfather, Glenn Duffer, and stepsister joined him.
Though they were soaking wet, cold, and tired, it was worth it to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“I was so thankful for the opportunity to represent the Carolina Band on a national level. It was so great seeing how well our hard work had paid off,” said Molly Hodges, a freshman music education major who plays tuba. Though Hodges is from the upstate of South Carolina, her mother, Nikki Powers, grew up in Barnwell.
Thomas, who was part of the Scarlet Knights Marching Band in Barnwell, said her “experiences in high school shaped my drive to want to do it in college.” Just like in high school, she’s also gained a second family with the Carolina Band.
Band members did not have to pay for the trip due to raising $645,000, which included $25,000 donations each from women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley, football coach Shane Beamer and famous alumnus musician Darius Rucker.
After taking a long nap and enjoying Thanksgiving dinner at Margaritaville, the band left New York City Friday morning so they could return to South Carolina in time for the Clemson-Carolina football game on Saturday.
