Cleveland High Band marches in the Grand Floral Parade

For decades, the Cleveland High School Marching Band has been a regular entry in the Portland Rose Festival’s Starlight Parade.

But this year, the band was invited to perform in the festival’s biggest event – the Grand Floral Parade. “Our band was the only Portland Public School representative in this year’s Grand Floral Parade,” pointed out Cleveland High School Director of Bands Gary Riler.

Members of the band first learned their two-song repertoire – “Strike Up the Band” and “Walking On Sunshine” – in the band room, and then rehearsed them until they were proficient.

Why only two songs? It’s because they’re not playing for an audience in the auditorium, they’re performing as they stride along the parade route! Most parade-goers hear less than one full song from each musical ensemble marching by.

Starting on June 3rd, the band, and members of Cleveland High’s Tenacity Dance Team, practiced playing and marching – around and around the school’s athletic track on Powell Boulevard.

And the payoff?

“They did an outstanding job performing on parade day,” commended Riler. “It was a great representation of the school to see 122 Cleveland High School students playing and marching through Northeast Portland and on into the Lloyd District.”