FAMU’s famed Marching 100 has been invited to perform in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the annual parade that precedes the Rose Bowl.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The parade is viewed by millions worldwide, and is almost as popular as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. It will features floats, equestrian units, bands, the royal court, awards and much more. The Melody of Life will be the theme for 130th celebration scheduled for Jan. 1, 2019, Chaka Khan will be the grand marshal for the parade.
But there is an issue. With only 48 days left until the parade, the Marching 100 has raised just over half of its $500,000 goal. Funding will help cover all expenses and future needs to operate beyond the performance.
“The creator of Drumline Live, Don P. Roberts was a member of the Marching 100. A lot of the Drumline Live members that performed with Beyoncé at Coachella were members of the Marching 100. This parade will give this generation of the Marching 100 members the opportunity to add to the bands legacy,” says, DuBois Colon, a senior music major from Atlanta, who serves as the student assistant to the director of bands.2019
The Marching 100 was not only chosen to perform with the top 20 bands in the country, it is also one of the two HBCU bands selected. (The other HBCU band participating in the Rose Parade is the Alabama State University Mighty Marching Hornets from Montgomery, Alabama).
“The Marching 100 is considered one of the ambassadors for the university. This performance will be a way for us to help with the branding of the university. There will be over 60 million people viewing the performance within a 30 second period and you can’t really pay for that kind of publicity. The first thing people are going to see is Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, and that’s most important,” Shelby Chipman, the Marching 100 director of bands, said.
With only 48 days left until the parade, the Marching 100 has raised just over half of its $500,000 goal. Funding will help cover all expenses and future needs to operate beyond the performance.
Jeremy Frederique, a third trumpet rank sergeant and senior criminal justice major from Tampa, says “faculty, staff, and students can help us raise the remainder of the funds by donating to the band and by purchasing our ‘Road to Pasadena Keep it 100’ shirts that are being sold on The Set on Fridays and game days.”
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