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The band practices in their confetti-covered practice room on Thursday night. Officials from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade told the band they have been chosen to march in the 2017 parade. Michael Swensen / WOUB News

Marching 110 to Perform At Thanksgiving Day Parade

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The Most Exciting Band in the Land had their own excitement last night as they learned they would be performing during a holiday tradition next year.

Ohio University’s Marching 110  was told in a surprise announcement last night that they were invited to join the 2017 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Marching 110 at Ohio University gets news that they are marching in the 2017 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Cory Smythe of the Marching 110 gets news that the band is marching in the 2017 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Michael Swensen / WOUB News

According to officials, hundreds applied to be one of 10 bands in the parade, but at 9:45 p.m. last night, the Bobcat band was told they were the winners. Macy’s staff joined band director Richard Suk to tell the band they would be traveling to New York City next year.

“I am extremely honored for the Marching 110 to be invited back to the Macy’s Parade for the third time,” said Richard Suk, director of bands said in a news release. “It is one of the premiere performance opportunities for marching bands and I’m thrilled, for not only our current students, but for our alumni and the Ohio University community.”

This is the band’s third appearance at the parade. They performed at the 2000 and 2005 parades.

According to Macy’s officials, the Macy’s Parade Band Committee looks for bands that “have the stage presence, musical and marching abilities to capitivate more than 3.5 million live spectators and more than 50 million viewers.”

“Marching bands in the state of Ohio have a long history of high-energy, crowd-pleasing performances – the kind of entertaining performances New Yorkers look forward to each and every Thanksgiving,” said

Wesley Whatley, creative director for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in a release.