The sixth annual Marching Mustangs Parade-a-Thon is set for Wednesday, May 25, starting at 6 p.m. This unique Mount Vernon tradition brings together the Marching Band for its debut appearance for the 2022 season, with incoming Freshmen getting to perform for their first time. Recently graduated Seniors take a break and now join the ranks as Alumni Band Members and watch their now former band march through Mount Vernon.
The Parade-a-Thon acts not only as a way to bring the new Marching Band together to herald in the upcoming season, but it is also the first large fundraiser to help the Band get to Washington D.C. for the Memorial Day Parade there in 2023. They will be doing several fundraisers to enable the 100 students to make this exciting trip.
The community is encouraged to line this year’s parade route and watch the band and drop money into the buckets that students and parents will be carrying. All donations will be put directly into the students’ trip accounts for the Washington D.C. trip. Checks can be made out to MVHS Band.
This year’s route will be in the northeast part of Mount Vernon. The starting point is at the intersection of Candlestick Drive and Spring Meadows Drive. The Band will proceed down Candlestick Drive to Lisbon Road to 1st Street and then head west to Crestview Drive. From there they will go into the Crestview and Hilltop neighborhood, double back onto First Street to Seventh Street and take this street to Nature Park where they will end the Parade at the Picnic Shelter.
The band will also be offering lawn concerts along the route, where the band will stop to play one song while the color guard will provide choreography with the flags. These can be arranged for a donation of $25. Only eight lawn concerts will take place. To book a lawn concert, call Sherene Player at 319-432-3685 or send an email to [email protected].
Many band members have done the Parade-a-Thon for several years and have come to look forward to this event as a way to bring the band and community together.
“I like the Parade-a-Thon because it helps bring the band closer together and we get to know our section better and everyone who is new,” said Josey Kosman, a junior who plays the flute.
“The Parade-a-Thon helps to integrate the new band members into the whole band,” Margaret Player, junior and mellophone player, said.
“It’s the best thing for the band,” said director Scott Weber.
Alumni Marching Band members, from any year and any band director, are invited to wear their past tour shirts and to line the parade route and cheer on this year’s Marching Mustangs.
The Parade-a-Thon brings the Marching Mustangs right to the citizens of Mount Vernon. Besides being an opportunity for the band to share their music, the Parade-a-Thon brings the community together to pursue a greater cause and help the band raise funds to march in a much larger parade in a much larger city: Washington D.C. on Memorial Day 2023.