01/01/2026
Happy New Year! Be sure to catch some of our very own Huskies on Parade at the Tournament of Roses Parade!
Annette Hackbarth (trumpet), Bernard Long (percussion), and Zachary Smith (trumpet) are representing Huskie Nation in Pasadena with the Saluting America's Band Directors Marching Band this year! Can we get a huge round of applause!? They are both among many music educators from around Illinois
The Saluting America’s Band Directors parade entry will again convey its theme, “America’s Band Directors: We teach music. We teach life.” to recognize the extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of band directors and music educators everywhere. Throughout their careers, the music educators in this band have collectively mentored and taught hundreds of thousands of students. These professionals not only teach and direct music, they teach about life itself.
The band will be directed by nationally known music educator and innovative band director Jon Waters, who will also lead rehearsals and other performances of the band when in Pasadena. The sponsoring organization behind the Saluting America’s Band Directors project is the Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation, based in Pickerington, Ohio. The foundation was created to recognize and carry on the work of the late Mike Sewell, who dedicated his life to the school and community music programs in Pickerington and the Central Ohio area for almost 40 years.
The Band is # 67 in the parade. Family and friends at home can watch the 2026 Rose Parade Live on January 1, 2026 beginning at 10:00 CST on NBC, ABC, Great American Family, Univision, RFD TV. Check local listings for more information. In Los Angeles, the parade can also be watched on KTLA-5.
