Photos courtesy of Scott Butler, McCall Hardison and Homewood City Schools.
Homewood High School Patriot Marching Band
The Homewood High School Patriot Marching Band has been invited to march in the 137th Rose Parade, the sixth time the band will march in the prestigious event.
The Homewood High School Patriot Band will soon carry the sound of Alabama across the Atlantic. Band Director Chris Cooper announced that in September 2027, the band will travel to the Netherlands to perform in the internationally renowned Corso Zundert — becoming the first American marching band ever invited to participate in the world’s largest flower parade. The historic opportunity places Homewood students on a global stage in front of tens of thousands of spectators.
Cooper announced the invitation this week, calling it a major milestone for the program.
“This is an incredibly meaningful moment for our band,” Cooper said. “While our students have performed on some of the world’s biggest stages, being the first American band to march the streets of Zundert is a distinct honor. It shows that the hard work our students put in every day here in Homewood resonates on a global scale.”
Founded in 1936 in the hometown of artist Vincent van Gogh, Corso Zundert has grown into one of Europe’s most celebrated cultural traditions and is recognized by UNESCO. The parade features 20 towering floats constructed by local communities and covered with millions of dahlia flowers.
The Homewood Band has built a reputation through performances at major events including the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the St. Patrick’s Festival in Ireland and the Walt Disney World Christmas Parade.
As the largest high school marching band in Alabama, Homewood expects approximately 300 students to travel for the performance, scheduled for the first Sunday of September 2027.
To help make the trip possible, the band will begin fundraising this weekend with a community mattress sale. The event will take place Sunday, March 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Homewood High School, with proceeds supporting students’ travel expenses.
Community fundraising will play a key role in helping make the trip possible, continuing a tradition of local support that allows students to participate in once-in-a-lifetime cultural and educational experiences.
