Green Valley band selected for 2010 Macy’s parade

Move over Bart Simpson, Snoopy, Underdog and other inflatable floats.

Henderson’s Green Valley High School Marching Band will be the next big attraction at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2010.

The surprise announcement stunned students following a community concert at the Henderson Pavilion on Wednesday night.

“Wow, honestly, words can’t describe it,” said sophomore baritone player Kelvin Haywood, 16. Until she heard about the Macy’s parade, Wenbo Bai, 15, a freshman flutist, did not think any news could top the excitement of Green Valley’s previous biggest performance: marching for President Barack Obama’s inauguration in January.

“It’s really exciting,” Bai said. “I’ve never been to New York City before. I’m proud to represent Nevada.”

Green Valley was selected from more than 150 applicants for the Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Henderson high school will be one of 10 marching bands to perform along the 2.8 mile-long route, which draws 3.5 million parade watchers to the Manhattan sidewalks.

With more than 50 million TV viewers, the parade is the second-most watched TV event after the Super Bowl. “This is the biggest stage for a marching band to perform,” said Orlando Veras, a spokesman for the Macy’s Parade.

“It's also pretty cold, it’s New York City in November,” he added.

Green Valley will be the first band from Nevada to participate in the parade since Elko High School from Northern Nevada performed in 2000, Veras said.

Bands are selected more than a year in advance to give schools enough time to raise money for the trip.

The extra time is a luxury considering that Green Valley had just five weeks to raise $120,000 for their inauguration trip to Washington, D.C., said Diane Koutsulis, who is band director along with Cecil Myers.

Koutsulis did not know the cost of taking 120 marching band members to New York City, but estimated it will be similar to the cost of the Washington, D.C., trip.

She also did not know what music the band will perform, but “it will be something Las Vegas-y,” Koutsulis said.

Because they won’t perform until 2010, this year’s juniors and seniors won’t be going.

Taylor Stewart, 18, a senior, did not mind. “It’s cool, but I’ve had four years,” he said. “I don’t think I could stick around that long.”

While Green Valley will participate in the 84th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, not every student was familiar with it.

Bai could not name her favorite float. She said she does not watch the parade on TV.

“I’m always asleep,” she said.

Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal.com or 702-374-7917.