[Baltimore Sun] Morgan State marching band to perform at Rose Parade in 2026

Read Time:2 Minute, 13 Second

Morgan State University’s “Magnificent Marching Machine” band has been chosen to perform at the 137th Rose Parade in 2026, the university said Saturday.

The announcement was made during Morgan State’s homecoming football game halftime show Saturday. The band integrated the Rose Parade news into a special performance featuring music by R&B singer Usher.

The band did formations that formed words such as “Usher,” “Rose” and “Vote,” due to it being an election year, the school said in an email. The “Vote” formation occurred as Usher’s “U Remind Me” played to underscore the importance of civic responsibility, the school said.

In between the songs, the announcement was played from Mark Leavens, president of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, the nonprofit that produces the parade.

“The selection of Morgan’s Magnificent Marching Machine to participate in the 137th Rose Parade is a major achievement, not just for our band but for the entire Morgan community,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State, in a Saturday news release. “This historic opportunity allows us to showcase the exceptional talent, energy and spirit of our students on an international stage.”

An official announcement and lineup of bands will be released in March 2025, according to the release.

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses began including bands in its parade lineup in 1890, becoming a tradition. Now, there are about 20 to 25 bands selected to perform at the New Year’s Day event, including a mix of high school, college, community and military bands.

The Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, is watched by an estimated 50 million people worldwide and broadcast in more than 170 countries with an estimated live audience of 1 million to 1.5 million, according to the release.

Comparatively, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, at which the band performed in 2019, brings an audience of nearly 30 million, the release says.

Those parades are two of three parts of the marching band community’s “Triple Crown.” The other is the U.S. Presidential Inaugural Parade, at which Morgan State has not performed.

Few bands can get an invitation to all three parades, especially historically Black college and universities, the Baltimore HBCU said in the release.

“There’s no bigger event in the marching band world than the Rose Parade,” said Jorim E. Reid, Morgan State’s director of bands, in the release. “It is an honor for our university to be invited, and a great opportunity for our students and marching band program to be highlighted globally. We look forward to our turn to participate in what’s known as ‘The Granddaddy of Them All.’”