WKU News

The WKU Big Red Marching Band’s highly anticipated performance in the 2025 London New Year’s Day Parade (LNYDP) is just around the corner. Often compared to the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the LNYDP draws over 500,000 attendees each year and is broadcast to more than 500 million viewers via PBS, reaching approximately 82% of U.S. television markets.

“We are so excited for our students and our band to have this incredible opportunity to travel and showcase the name of Western Kentucky University and the WKU Big Red Marching Band on a global stage,” said Dr. Matthew McCurry, Director of Athletic Bands and Associate Director of Bands. “Our hard work to shine a spotlight on the Big Red Marching Band and the outstanding efforts of our students is paying off.”

The band received the invitation to participate in this prestigious event in September 2023. This honor comes during a milestone year for the WKU Big Red Marching Band, as 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the WKU Band program.

A livestream of the parade will be available on the LNYDP website at 12 PM GMT (6 AM CST/7 AM EST) on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Select PBS stations in the United States will also air the parade.

For more information about the Big Red Marching Band, please visit https://www.wku.edu/band/big_red_marching_band/index.php.