The James F. Byrnes High School Rebel Regiment marching band has been selected to perform in the 2026 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
The surprise announcement for students came early Tuesday morning, about a week after Band Director Chris Moss first heard the news. This will be the Rebel Regiment’s fourth time performing at the event, the other years being 1983, 1996 and 2002.
“Every single time that I have the opportunity to watch the students perform, that's what makes all of this worth it,” Moss said. “Whether it's just a simple concert right here in our Fine Arts Center or a national event like the Macy's Parade, all of it is [about] trying to give the students the most amazing experiences that we can possibly give them.”
Being able to perform at any Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a huge achievement, but Moss says that this year is particularly special. This is the parade’s 100th anniversary, and only 10 marching bands across the nation were selected to perform. Of these 10, only five of them are high school-level bands.
Moss says one of the hardest parts was trying to keep the secret from students before the announcement on Tuesday. All of the students in the band were asked to come to the auditorium for what they thought was a presentation on field trip conduct. Moss went through a list of rules, which each started with a letter spelling out “MACY’S.”
As students in the room began to realize what was happening, excitement broke out. Kinsley Pearson, a junior drum major with the band, expressed her excitement in leading the band through this opportunity.
“Me and my drum majors are definitely band nerds, so we're always watching stuff like that, especially the Macy’s Day Parade,” Pearson said. “It's gonna be so cool to actually be a part of it and look back many years from now watching us in the [parade].”
Job Ignacio, another one of the Regiment’s junior drum majors, says he’s excited to be a part of something that he grew up watching. This will be his first time visiting New York City, a trip that will also include plenty of sightseeing.
“It was a surreal moment for me,” Ignacio said. “I know I’ve always grown up in my house watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and it’s just one of those moments that connects us.”
Moss says that the audition process for the parade started two years ago, submitting various videos of the band and other audition paperwork. This is Moss’ third year teaching in the district, and he was actually a student at the high school when they were selected for the 1996 parade.
“When we weren't announced last year, I was a little disappointed, but I was holding out hope that maybe we were selected for this 100th anniversary parade,” Moss said. “We're definitely a program that's been a part of the parade throughout its history, so I think that's just the icing on the cake for the whole experience.”
For more information on the James F. Byrnes High School band program, visit its website. See the full list of marching band performances at the 2026 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade here:
Concord Community High School Marching Minutemen (Elkhart, IN)
Dobyns-Bennett High School Band (Kingsport, TN)
James F. Byrnes High School Rebel Regiment (Duncan, SC)
Macy's Great American Marching Band (Nationwide)
Na Koa Ali'i Hawaii All-State Marching Band (Hawaii)
NYPD Marching Band (New York, NY)
Pearland High School's Pride of Pearland (Pearland, TX)
The Pride of Connecticut Marching Band (Storrs, CT)
University of Alabama Million Dollar Band (Tuscaloosa, AL)
University of Illinois Marching Illini (Champaign, IL)
Follow Breanna Laws on X @GreerByBreanna
