Santa Fe’s award-winning band marches the streets of Edmond in annual fourth of July parade

Santa Fe’s band marched the 1.5-mile stretch of Edmond’s annual LibertyFest, an Edmond tradition for over 50 years. The band played patriotic tunes such as Yankee Doodle, and Oklahoma!, our state song.

The band began rehearsing for the parade in early June. These rehearsals are the first for many new band and color guard members and help relieve any worries they may have as newcomers. Joining a new club or extracurricular can be daunting, especially when it’s performance based.

“I love that our band can get together in a light and non-stressful environment,” head director, Dane Romano said. 

Every year, to prepare for the demanding parade march, the band practices throughout the neighborhood across from Santa Fe. Members of the community line up outside of their homes to catch a glimpse at the band.

“[My favorite part of rehearsals] is marching in the neighborhood,” said color guard Captain and incoming senior, Skylar Tate.

With temperatures already nearing mid-80s, band and color guard members prepared for their performance as families and citizens of Edmond arrived early to secure a spot along the streets. Excitement filled the air and the celebrations began.

 “[The parade] is an opportunity for the community to get together and celebrate,” incoming sophomore, Bella Martin said. 

The band made their way down the road as friends, family and members of the community cheered loudly. Color guard members held their heads and flags high as the band played in sync. As the applause continued, the band’s energy did too.

“I love seeing the kids’ reaction to us and the general enjoyment,” incoming sophomore, Chloe Johnson said.

This upcoming school year, the band will be participating in the Bands of America (BOA) contest in Flagstaff, Arizona, one of the most prestigious contests in the country. This will be Santa Fe’s first time ever participating in BOA. This advancement was made following the band’s success in state contests such as the Mustang Invitational, which they won three times consecutively. 

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