The 2021 Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagle Regiment Marching Band at the FMBC Finals where they brought home first place
By Jill Fox
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagle Regiment is officially invited to participate in the 2023 London New Year’s Day Parade.
Duncan Sandys, Senior Patron and the great-grandson of Winston Churchill, and Bob Bone, London New Year’s Day Parade Founder and Executive Director, visited the school in person to officially extend the invitation for 2023.
The marching band has planned to participate in the parade since 2020; however, COVID-19 has canceled those attempts.
A film crew from London accompanied both Sandys and Bone to record the Eagle Regiment’s State Championship winning performance on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas football field that will be aired at the 2022 New Year’s Day program.
On Nov. 21, the band, comprised of 129 students, brought home first place in Class 4A at the Florida Marching Band Championships for their performance of Très Opulent.
The State Championship was the school’s first win under band director Steve Rivero, who joined the school in 2019 following its back-to-back wins.
Rivero said he’s honored by the invitation to London and “wants every band member to attend and hopes the community can get behind them to ensure that happens.”
Principal Michelle Kefford receives a gift from Buckingham Palace to commemorate the occasion. {Courtesy Yanira Govan}
London’s New Year’s Day celebration will take place on Jan. 1 and broadcast live worldwide. The parade will return to its former capacity, with 10,000 participants and a street audience of over 500,000, on Jan. 1, 2023.
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