Alabama’s Million Dollar Band invited to play in 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
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The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be celebrating its 100th year in 2026 and the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band will get to be a part of the celebration.
The marching band was selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants as one of just 10 bands set to participate in the 2026 parade. This will be the university’s second appearance in the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“The University of Alabama Million Dollar Band is deeply honored to be selected to perform in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. To return to one of America’s most iconic holiday traditions is a privilege, and our students are thrilled to represent our university and our state.”
Dr. Ken Ozzello, University of Alabama Director of Bands
The countdown to next year’s parade already kicked off Tuesday morning with the announcement of which marching bands made the cut.
The bands chosen for the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will each receive a $10,000 grant from Macy’s to kick-start fundraising efforts and help fund the march and prepare for their trip to New York City.
“We are thrilled to have the Million Dollar Band to join in the celebration of the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2026. The streets of New York City will undoubtedly pulse with energy and excitement brought by the University of Alabama’s phenomenal marching band as they make their way down the Parade route.”
Sara Flores, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Associate Producer
The other bands joining Alabama in the parade will include:
- Concord Community High School Marching Minutemen (Elkhart, IN)
- Dobyns-Bennett High School Band (Kingsport, TN)
- James F. Byrnes High School Rebel Regiment (Duncan, SC)
- Macy’s Great American Marching Band (Nationwide)
- Na Koa Ali’i Hawaii All-State Marching Band (Hawaii)
- NYPD Marching Band (New York, NY)
- Pearland High School’s Pride of Pearland (Pearland, TX)
- The Pride of Connecticut Marching Band (Storrs, CT)
- University of Illinois Marching Illini (Champaign, IL)
Since 1924, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has brought millions of people together to celebrate, create lasting memories and kick off the holiday season with a world-class lineup of iconic character balloons, fantastical floats, music’s biggest talents and the one-and-only Santa Claus.
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