The Marching 97 Ushers in the New Year in London

Lehigh’s Marching 97 had the honor of performing in London’s 2018 New Year’s Day Parade, which featured 8,000 performers from around the world and attracted thousands of spectators.

The band also performed in Cadogan Hall on Dec. 29.

The Marching 97’s invitation to the annual parade grew out of the band’s reputation and unique performing style.

In November 2016, several British dignitaries visited the Lehigh campus to formally invite the Marching 97 to participate in the parade. Former Lord Mayor Catherine Longworth of the City of Westminster came for the formal ceremony at Lehigh's President's House, along with colleagues, Robert Bone, founder and executive director of the London New Year's Day Parade; Joe Bone, director of logistics for the parade; and William Northen, senior director of international participation for the parade.

Along its long and celebrated history, the Marching 97 has played at Carnegie Hall in 1963 and 1969, at the New York World’s Fair in 1964, and at Yankee Stadium for the 150th Lehigh-Lafayette football game in 2014.

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