MARSHALL — Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade every Thanksgiving morning is a fond memory for millions of people, but not everyone gets an opportunity to join in the famous 2.5 mile walk around the heart of New York in Manhattan’s Upper West Side near Central Park. 

Marshall high school senior Dylan Larson turned one of his dreams into a reality this November by walking in Macy’s Great American Marching Band for the 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 28. 

“Being around people that are equally as passionate about something that you really love is just something you don’t find in many places,” Larson said. 

Larson has played the alto saxophone since he was in the 5th grade, and joined Marshall’s marching band freshman year. 

Auditions for the band opened on Jan. 15 at the start of this year, and over 800 people auditioned to make the approximately 225 person band, which is made up of 185 musicians and around 40 dancers. 

People have to send in videos of themselves performing to audition. Larson said his father, Tom, recorded the tape for him. 

“Last spring, he (Larson) goes, ‘I’m really interested in that, I think I would be willing to try that,” Marshall band director Larry Petersen said. “The next thing I knew, he’s like, ‘I made it.’ He didn’t ask me to work with him; he just applied himself.” 

The Great American Marching Band originally formed in 2006, and has been a part of the parade every year since. It’s composed of select students from all over the United States.

“What I do want to highlight for Dylan is that … Dylan auditioned right off the bat, so he was in competition with everybody right from the get-go, and still made it,” Petersen said. “I think that’s a real testament to his talent, his perseverance and just his dedication to practicing and preparing himself really well for that.” 

The parade this year brought in around 3.5 million spectators and over 31 million watched on television to admire the gigantic helium balloons, floats carrying celebrities, and of course, some of the nation’s top marching bands. 

Although the parade was on Thursday, Larson had to arrive in New York the Saturday before to begin an intensive few days of rehearsals. 

“The experience started mainly on Saturday, where I first showed up there and got fitted,” Larson said. “It was just a really quick evening, and finally I got to bed, met some really fun people, but Sunday is when the first practice was. Obviously, the nerves were all there.” 

Despite the nerves, Sunday was just a two hour practice and Larson said he enjoyed being able to meet people with his same passion that he was going to embark on the experience with. 

“The next day (Monday) was an eight hour practice where I definitely worked my tail off,” Larson said, and also added that was the day they put everything together with the marching and playing. 

As if the opportunity couldn’t be as exquisite as it already was, Tuesday brought even more good news for the group of students. 

“Tuesday was a four hour practice where it also … Went by really fast, and I think it’s mainly because of how much fun I was having throughout the entire experience,” Larson said. “Four hours went by as fast as a 30 minute class. But that day, we also found out that we were going to be part of the opening ceremony for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was obviously something really cool to find out. Meaning, you got more TV time and a little bit more practice.” 

By Wednesday, it had been about four days since Larson last saw his family. 

“We were doing another three hour practice (on Wednesday), where my dad, my mom and my sister were able to show up and see us practice,” Larson said. “It was just really awesome, because I didn’t see my family for a little bit. Being able to have them watch the final product the day before was something I really thought was cool.” 

Thursday came along for a rain-filled day sitting around 50 degrees fahrenheit. But, the rain didn’t halt any of the day’s events. 

The parade has only been canceled three times, during World War II from 1942 to 1944. 

“Waking up at 1 a.m., feeling tired but also so excited, being out of the hotel at 2 a.m., practicing at 3 in the morning,” Larson said regarding the morning’s feelings. “Then finally, being outside and rainy, something that usually doesn’t happen since the band has started, but there was a lot of it.” 

Overall, Larson said it was a surreal experience because he has grown up watching the parade. Petersen also echoed the same message, that it was fulfilling to see another student of his parading the streets of New York. 

MHS graduate Jacob Zimmer also marched in the Macy’s band last year. 

Larson was awarded a certificate of his accomplishment by the Marshall School Board Monday evening. 

Petersen has been a prominent influence on his musical journey and development, which Larson is grateful for.  

“I’d mainly like to thank Mr. Petersen. I would not be able to even have the opportunity without him,” Larson said. “Since joining the marching band freshman year, all my skills are attributed to him. I really like to thank him for all the skills and things he’s done for me.”  

As Larson has now returned home and can reflect on his time in New York, he can confidently cross the experience of a lifetime off his bucket list. 

“Honestly, it was just a great experience,” Larson said. “Being able to walk a two and a half mile route, being able to play music that I’ve been working on so hard for the past half a year, it was just something I really enjoyed.”