LEXINGTON, Va. March 16, 2018—The VMI Regimental and Pipe Band will be among the first units in New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 17.

VMI will follow the first main unit, a military escort from the New York National Guard, and will precede Grand Marshal Loretta Brenna Glucksman in the parade. The route takes the band straight down 5^th Avenue from E. 71^st Street to 42^nd Street.

“It’s our first time back in 12 years,” explained band director, Col. John Brodie. “We marched seven times in the parade from 1989 to 2005, and we're happy to be back as the Grand Marshal's band.”

New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is one of many high profile parades the Regimental and Pipe Band has participated in over the years. In 2008 and 2016 the band marched in the Rose Bowl parade in Pasadena, California. In 2017 the band marched in the Moblie, Alabama, Mardi Gras parade for the fourth time, and the band participates in many presidential and Virginia gubernatorial inaugural parades.

The cadets will arrive in New York on Friday, where they will meet with members of the New York City-Long Island Chapter of alumni at O’Lunney’s on 45^th Street.

Coverage of the parade will be available on NBCNewYork.com, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17. We will also have a live feed of the lineup and parade available here on our Facebook page.

-VMI-