In 14 months, the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band will be high-stepping, twirling, tooting and hooting all the way to New York City, where they’ll be performing for the first time in the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

The announcement was made at Saturday morning’s Elephant Stomp, a game day tradition that took place before the Crimson Tide trampled Southern Miss in a 49-7 rout. 

Halee Hudson, a sophomore Crimsonette majoring in civil engineering, said she was thrilled when she got the news. 

“Being involved in such an elite organization at the University of Alabama is a rewarding experience for all involved, so we are overjoyed for the Million Dollar Band to be able to display their traditions of excellence on a stage as big as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Hudson said. “Not only should this entire group – the band, the Colorguard and the Crimsonettes – be recognized for their talent, but also for their constant commitment to their campus, community, and each other. We hope the entire country will be able to see this dedication and hopefully join in on singing, “Yea, Alabama!” too.”

Founded in 1912, the Million Dollar Band is the largest student organization at the University of Alabama and boasts about 400 members. The band was one of nine groups selected out of a pool of over 100 applicants to perform in the annual parade. 

“It’s fitting that the UA Million Dollar Band, one of the most respected university marching bands in the country, will be performing in one of the largest parades in the world,” UA President Stuart Bell said in a press release. “What Alabama fans have been able to enjoy on Saturdays will now be shared with more than 50 million people live on the streets of New York and watching on television. We’re honored by the invitation, and I couldn’t be more pleased by the work of these talented student musicians.”

The parade is set to occur on Nov. 26, 2020 and will cover two miles. Viewers can tune in to NBC to see the performance live.