HENDERSON, Colo. — The Prairie View High School marching band has extended its season this year by participating in the National Western Stock Show parade in downtown Denver.
The Thunderhawk Pride marching band will help kick-off a true western cattle drive with horses, cowboys, cowgirls, and floats. The group is the only competitive marching band in the 27J school district and the only high school marching in the state to march in this year’s parade.
“It’s a great opportunity for students to go out and perform,” said Armando SolÍs, director of bands for Prairie View High School. “We had the Brighton Parade of Lights and with this one (so) we extended it a couple more weeks to January.”
The group has been rehearsing for the parade that launches the 118th annual National Western Stock Show in Denver. They’ll be playing songs like the theme song from “Magnificent Seven” and “How the West was Won” representing rural towns across the state. SolÍs said he was surprised when he found out the news.
“We actually got a call from the coordinator just randomly one day,” SolÍs said. “They said, ‘We were wondering if you would like to be in this parade? The band that normally does it can’t do it because they are on break,’ and asked if we want to do it and we said, ‘Heck yeah.’”
The band will be marching the 12-block route through downtown Denver from Union Station up 17th Street and ending at Glenarm Place. SolÍs said he wanted all the students in the district to be able to participate in the experience, so he invited other local musicians to join.
“We have members joining us from Stead, from Brighton High School and Riverdale High School which are all schools here in 27J,” SolÍs said. “I figured I would ask the directors if it’s OK to invite them, that way they can experience what it’s like to march in a parade, march in a bigger group.”
Students like piccolo player Natalie Nebeker and saxophonist Griffin Van Osdoll. Both are seniors at Brighton High School and are looking forward to the opportunity to march with a bigger band.
“It’s not a normal thing that we do,” Nebeker said. “I think it’s really cool how we can join another band yet still enjoy the same thing together.”
“It’s really exciting,” added Van Osdoll, “I’ve only marched in the homecoming parades, and I love stuff that has to do with the National Western Stock Show, so it helps a lot and I think it’s really fun.”
The marching band has been trying to rebuild for the past couple of years and they feel marching in the parade will help improve their numbers.
“Before COVID we had about 70 people, after COVID we had about 25,” said drum major Brock Hoffman. “This is definitely a new dawn because we’re coming up on 35-40 members, so we’re getting back up there.”
These marching members hope the experience will bring an awareness to the parade-goers in LoDo of the community spirit they’ll carry with them. SolÍs says it’s his mission for all students in the marching band to have fun.
“It’s something that brings people together and this is no exception,” he said. “The goal is always for them to just have a different experience within music.”
For more information about the Prairie View High School Thunderhawk Pride Marching Band, click here.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: National Western Stock Show
MORE WAYS TO GET 9NEWS
Subscribe to our daily 9NEWSLETTER
Download the 9NEWS APP
iTunes: http://on9news.tv/itunes
Google Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n
ADD THE 9NEWS+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9news" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.