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Marching Bands in the Bay Area

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Marching Bands in the Bay Area

June 2001

My kids (7 and 4) saw the movie The Music Man and are now fascinated with marching bands. Does anyone know where I can take them to see an actual marching band with 76 trombones leading a big parade? Maybe for the 4th of July? I live in El Cerrito and am willing to drive 1-1/2 to 2 hours. (I did see the Cal Band web page, but their performances seem to be mostly associated with football games, which we don't go to.) Marta

I saw your post in the UCB Parents' newsletter. I recall that Redwood city has a big Fourth of July parade every year. I imagine that it will include a band. Do a search on the Web for their city site. You could probably pick up one of those free parents' newspapers in the library and find other parades to go to this month somewhere out in Contra Costa land. I think there are Columbus Day (Indigenous People Day) parades in the Fall also. You just missed the Gay Pride parade. They always have big Gay Pride marching band in the early part of the parade. Good luck! Jeanne
You're in luck! One of the best drum and bugle corps/marching bands in the country is located right in Concord (the Concord Blue Devils) and they will be performing along with other top corps on July 7 in Pleasant Hill. You will want to buy tickets in advance and try to get ones as high up and close to the center of the field as possible. Check out these websites for more info: http://www.bluedevils.org/currentevents/ http://www.dci.org/ Jen
Alameda has a very sweet fourth of July parade which has marching bands in it. See: http://www.inyourcity.net/calendar/070101.html
The Solano Stroll on Sunday, Sept. 9 will have at least 2 if not 4 marching bands. The Parade begins at 11AM at the top of Solano and goes almost to San Pablo. L
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