BUCHANAN, Va. – A dream came true for one Botetourt County high schooler when she was selected to perform in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
James River High School senior, Macy Williams, was selected to perform as a part of Macy’s Great American Marching Band.
“Really just feeling that whole idea of, I’ve finally made it. I’m doing it, I got this and just realizing that like there was no better feeling than being there and performing,” said Williams.
The Great American Marching Band is made up of nearly 200 high schoolers selected from across the country. Williams was one of them this year.
“My junior year I was sitting in the middle of class and I got an email that said, ‘Congratulations, you’ve been selected as a member’ and I just was thinking, ‘How in the world did I do this?’” she told 10 News.
After a week in New York packed with eight-hour-long rehearsals and early wake-up calls, Williams and the rest of the marching band were ready to take on Harold’s Square on Thanksgiving.
“They have this huge red line right before you go into Harold’s Square called the red ready line,” Williams told 10 News. “I remember standing there right before they yelled ‘Go,’ and thinking, ‘Oh my I’m not going to be behind the TV watching this I’m actually going to be on that TV performing here and I’ll be fulfilling a dream that I’ve been thinking of since I was a little girl.’”
Along with new friendships, New York sightseeing and performing, Williams says what she’ll remember most is her dream that came true this Thanksgiving.
“The satisfaction of being able to fulfill that dream since I could remember, watching the parade, that will be something that will forever be ingrained in my mind, like you did this,” she said.