A high school marching band from northeast Wisconsin will again be playing on a world stage in the coming days. At Pulaski High School everything is coming up roses. 

Inside Shopko Hall the Pulaski High School Marching Band gets in some last minute practice.

Band member Lexi Parr calls it the final push before heading out on a trip she’s been dreaming to make for years.

“All through high school, my four years, this is what I wanted to do,” said Parr. “Love band. Pasadena is so huge, I’m so excited.”

Early Wednesday morning the 233 members of this band will head out for Pasadena, California to take part in the 128th Rose Parade held on January 2.

“I’m anxious but I’m excited, really excited for the kids,” said Tom Busch, band director for Pulaski High School.

This will be the third time in 10 years that Busch has brought the school’s marching band to the Rose Parade. The first appearance for the band was in 2007. This trip – they are one of 10 high schools taking part and the only one from the Midwest. 

“We’re lucky, we’ve got a relationship with the people in the Rose Parade, that they look forward to seeing our application because of our past experiences there,” said Busch. 

Selected to participate a year and a half ago – Busch used this past summer to keep the band in practice.

“We marched 15 parades last summer and that helped a lot, but of course that was five months ago,” Busch said.

So a day before flying west – 12 hours of band camp – with students honing their skills before performing on a world stage.

“We all just have a love for music, we all work so hard, our directors are phenomenal and we all work so well together to accomplish our goals,” said Parr.

“That pride they can take away from an experience like this –  is very important to me,” Busch said.