On Friday, January 20th, I joined the Marist College Marching Band and Spirit Team as we took to the streets of Washington, D.C. to uphold our honor of marching in the 58th Presidential Inaugural Parade. From long bus rides and early mornings, to protests holding up the parade, to marching proudly past the Presidential reviewing stand, I know for a fact that this was a moment in life that I will never, ever forget.
At the end of December, we received an email from Art saying that our application had been accepted and that we were going to participate in the parade; flash-forward to the week before classes resume when band members, alumni, cheerleaders, dancers, and ROTC members joined forces to begin a crash course in parade marching. By the end of our three-day band camp, we had memorized three pieces of music, learned how to march in block form and keep said block form, and learned how to execute turns. While it was nowhere near perfect, we were parade ready.
Thursday morning consisted of a last rehearsal and hopping on the buses down to D.C., and later that night we had a meeting about what to expect for Friday. We were briefed on the schedule and what the day would hold, and were sent to bed early.
When Friday morning rolled around, we departed the hotel before the sun had even begun to shine. While most people slept on the bus ride to the Pentagon, I watched the sun rise over the city skylines, and despite being beyond exhausted, the excitement settled in. Security at the Pentagon wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected, and by maybe 9:30-10:00 a.m. we were back on the buses to the warming tents.
From our staging area, we could see the Washington Monument in its full splendor, and even though the skies were overcast and grey, I was struck by the awe of it, and by the awe of what we were about to do.
A few blocks over, the Capitol Building loomed in its patriotic glory, and we could actually hear the inauguration in the distance, as well as through the speakers in the tents. Not long after Trump was sworn in, the officials began to call the lineup. We all laughed and corrected the woman when she repeatedly called us "Marsist College" and lined up anyways.
The first road we marched down wasn't even part of the actual parade, but rather a chute to get us to the chute before Pennsylvania Avenue. Once we got in formation on that final chute, the whole parade came to a halt. For nearly two hours, we stood there as it rained a bit, waiting for a red flag in the distance to turn green, but it never did. To keep the band warm, we played "Lovin'," our band's favorite piece to play at basketball games. We played and danced just like we always do, boosting morale among us all.
While we were waiting, we heard about violent riots in the city, which was the reason for the hold-up. Security was concerned that the protests would spill into the parade route and endanger the thousands of spectators and participants. Finally, at around 4:00 pm, roughly two hours late, we got the all-clear, and the parade began.
That first turn onto Pennsylvania Avenue was something surreal. I could see all of the spectators, policemen and policewomen, soldiers, and snipers that stood on the roofs of buildings. Announcers all along the parade route called out the groups passing, and this bubble of excitement that had been building all day grew even bigger. Adrenaline flowed through my veins, and I didn't feel the usual burn that came with holding my flute at almost a 90-degree angle. We played our tunes perfectly, but soon the parade was once again brought to a halt as the President and Vice-President still had not arrived at the viewing stands; we resumed shortly, however.
The light had begun to fade as night set in, and as we made our final turn onto Pennsylvania Avenue, floodlights from the news stations blinded us. We were told not to look left into the reviewing stands to see our new leaders, but it was something nearly no one could resist. I took a quick glance in and saw our new First Lady and the outline of our President, and that enough nearly made me tear up. I shoved those emotions down, however, straightened my body, raised my flute to a perfect 90-degree angle, and played like I had never played before.
At the end of the night, we were beyond exhausted, but I swear that day will never be forgotten. We had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to march in an Inaugural parade. We have been recognized on a national stage, not just as a college, but as a band itself. While we may not have been the best-dressed group, or the best sounding band, our hard work paid off.
Regardless of your political beliefs and affiliations, the opportunity to march in a Presidential Inaugural Parade is just too great to give up, and should you ever be given the chance to participate, I strongly urge you to do so, no matter who gets elected. You'll never forget your experience.
