Saturday at 9 a.m. to noon, band will host its annual parent preview and middle school performance with the addition of a presentation from Dr. Robert Miller, the president of the Tournament of Roses. The band was originally invited to the 2021 Tournament of Roses Parade, but their invitation was extended to 2022 due to the cancellation of the  in 2021 parade.

“The Tournament of Roses president and his wife will be here making [a] presentation, visiting with parents and talking to the community,” head band director Andy Sealy said. “We also have a little project going with it for the North Texas Food Bank simultaneously. The middle schools traditionally participate with us on that day as a performance opportunity for them and for a way for all three of those feeder middle schoolers to be together and around the marching band component.”

The parent preview usually provides parents with an insight into the band contest season. The concert also serves as a trial run for their upcoming competitions. 

“I think the physical environment allows the kids to get more excited and to be more motivated rather than last year due to COVID-19 and all the restrictions,” senior drum major Carolin Yoo said. “I think just the motivation [from being in-person] really excites the kids and from that we sound so much better.”

District staff members including superintendent Kevin Rogers will be in attendance. Additionally, Lewisville mayor TJ Gilmore will be present for the Tournament of Roses presentation. Carrollton mayor Kevin Falconer will be making an appearance at Friday’s football game to declare Sept. 25 “Official Hebron High School Marching Band Day.”

“This is my first year doing something like [the Rose Bowl], and same goes for everyone else in the band including the directors,” Yoo said. “I am just hoping that when the competitions start, kids realize this is a big deal and that whatever we prepare now is going to reflect what happens during the Rose Bowl and the future competitions.”

Hebron Tournament of Roses committee chairman Vonda Dyer said Hebron is one of five bands from Texas in 50 years that have gone to the Tournament of Roses parade. Dyer has worked alongside uniform coordinator Marty Drury in the program for years, where they have both seen the program grow.

“As a parent, just seeing the passion rise up in your child and seeing them have this dream is so exciting,” Drury said. “They’ve got such a great season ahead of them and [their] teamwork.”

The band has used the publicity that has come from the Tournament of Roses invitation to give back to the community through a food drive with North Texas Food Bank. Donations will be accepted Sept. 23-25. With over 300 band members, the food drive and other donations will benefit food insecure students and help band members in need get to Pasadena. 

“I recognize that we come from a school district that has some disadvantaged families, and I know that some of that reaches over into the band,” Dyer said. “My dream for the entire band this year is that no kid is left behind and that we have corporate sponsors and people really come through so that every kid can go to Pasadena.”