Battle of the Bands
The 2024 Battle of the Bands champion is Monroe High School's Red Storm Marching Band! Congratulations. We look forward to seeing Monroe High School and other school marching bands in the 2025 Battle of the Bands competition.
Marching Bands
Applications for the 2025 parade are open and will close August 31, 2025.
Bands will be selected and notified mid-August. We look forward to reviewing your application!
March in the parade!
The Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade is looking for high school and community marching bands to participate in the magic on Thanksgiving Eve! Bands should be inclusive of woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments and may also include auxiliary units of flags, dancers, majorettes, and rifles. The selection committee will review all applications and extend invitations to the top bands to participate in the 2025 Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade.
This is a competitive application as the parade will include School Marching Bands and Community Marching Bands. Bands should be uniform, organized, and incorporate exciting lighting elements into their performance.
Applications for the 2025 Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade are currently open and will close August 31, 2025. If you have any questions, please email Logan Acheson at Lacheson@charlottecentercity.org.
Community Marching Bands
To be selected to participate in the Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade, community marching bands must be uniform, organized, and can incorporate special lighting elements into their performance. Community marching bands are prohibited from stopping on the performance floor; however, they are encouraged to play as they walk through the performance floor. Bands that are unorganized or stop on the performance floor will not be invited back to participate in the parade.
High School Marching Bands
Selected high school marching bands will perform in the parade and compete in the Battle of the Bands. During the parade, the school bands will be judged live as they walk through the performacne floor. The band with the best score from the judges will win the Battle of the Bands trophy.
Additionally, selected high school marching band participating seniors will be able to apply for The Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade scholarship program. The program includes a $1,000 Grant Scholarship and the $2,500 Queen Charlotte Music Scholarship. Information about these scholarships and how to apply will be sent to participating marching bands’ directors.
High School marching bands must be uniform, organized, and incorporate special lighting elements into their performance. Bands that are unorganized or ignore parade rules will not be invited back to participate in the parade.