N.C. A&T marching band will perform at Tournament of Roses Parade

A Triad marching band will be high-stepping at the Tournament of Roses Parade next week.  

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will briefly take the spotlight at the 135th Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day.

A&T’s Blue and Gold Marching Machine is one of 20 bands selected to participate in the event. The Blue and Gold band is made up of roughly 200 members from a variety of majors and concentrations.

The parade will cap an eventful year for the Marching Machine, which recently won the 2023 Division I HBCU (historically black colleges and universities) band of the year title.

N.C. A&T Director of bands Kenneth Ruff calls the Tournament of Roses invite “a tremendous honor and opportunity,” noting how hard the members work year round performing at various school and community functions.

The A&T musicians will join other bands hailing from around the world, including Costa Rica, Japan and Sweden.

The Tournament of Roses Parade is expected to be viewed by 46 million people worldwide.