The Butler County marching band won a prestigious invite to perform in a parade down Disney’s famed Main Street in Orlando, Florida.
Butler and Warren county high schools have built a high-profile tradition in recent years by performing before national and international audiences.
There are too many local schools and big-time venues to mention all of them, but among the top 5 high school bands and choral groups to earn “big stage” performances were:
1. LAKOTA WEST MARCHING FIREBIRDS
Lakota West High School’s marching band performed in the 2008 and 2015 Rose Parades on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, Calif., before a global TV audience of 79 million.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
In 2013, the Marching Firebirds also played in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
2. FAIRFIELD HIGH SCHOOL CHORALIERS
Fairfield High School’s famed Choraliers won top honors in 2012 in the international competition of the World Choir Games in Cincinnati.
Credit: Greg Lynch
Credit: Greg Lynch
3. MASON HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING COMETS
Warren County’s Mason High School marching band was one of only 20 schools nationwide invited to perform in the 2016 Rose Parade.
The 313-member band had won top-5 honors in the 2014 among 95 other bands at the Bands of America Grand National Championship in Indianapolis.
4. LAKOTA EAST MARCHING THUNDERHAWKS
Lakota East High School’s marching band was invited to perform in Hawaii in parades and ceremonies commemorating Pearl Harbor Day in 2008.
The band later played in Hollywood, Calif., and other major events.
5. HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BIG BLUE
In 2016, Hamilton High School’s Marching Big Blue performed at the same Hawaiian-island events in what was the school’s longest journey ever and the first trip out of the continental USA mainland.
More than 130 band members, school staffers and parents made the trip.
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