Pride of the Dakotas performs at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The South Dakota State University Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band performed on a national stage in 2022 during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, entertaining more than 2 million people who lined the streets of New York City, as well as the millions watching on television.

The Pride provides a unique opportunity for students at SDSU. Pride members do not need to audition to become a member, and being a music major is not required. The band represents every academic college at SDSU with more than 60 different majors. More than 80% of The Pride is nonmusic majors, allowing students to pursue their academic passions while being part of a great university tradition.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of many major performances The Pride can highlight in its 132-year history. The band performed for the king and queen of England in 1939, presidential inaugural parades in 1981 and 1997, the Millennium Independence Day Parade in 2000, two Tournament of Roses Parades in 2003 and 2008, the Fresh From Florida Parade in 2001 and the National Memorial Day Parade in 2017.

The trip to New York included 346 band members from 11 different states, with 147 of the members in their first year with The Pride. Academically, 142 members of the band earned dean’s list accolades, with 59 of them having a perfect 4.0 GPA.