By: Ainsley Hall
MARTINSBURG — The Martinsburg High School band has been invited to perform during the Cherry Blossom Parade on April 12.
The Cherry Blossom Parade is a nationally televised parade in Washington, D.C. As a part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, this event celebrates the coming of spring, as the cherry blossom trees all over the city bloom.
Band director Casie Rogers Adams shared that she first sent in the application last year before the band performed at Disney World. The application was extensive, including a band biography, video, questionnaire, description of uniform, band awards and recognitions, photos, and a list of past parade appearances. The band was officially accepted in December.
“The students were ecstatic,” Adams said. “I don’t remember if I ever told them that I applied, so they had no idea. It’s history-making from then on, so it was really special.”
This will be the first time the Bulldog Band will participate in the parade. Adams is always looking for new opportunities for her students. She remembered attending the Cherry Blossom Parade in 2014 when she was student teaching at Jefferson High School under John Lynch.
It was such a special experience that she wanted to give her students a chance to see it for themselves.
“It was such a big and memorable event,” Adams said. “I’m always looking for opportunities to get the kids out there. I’ve mentioned this before, but 2025 is extra special to me because I’ve been the band director for these kids since sixth grade. They are what our show is all about this year, so it makes this even more special.”
In April, more than 130 students will travel to the capital, joining bands from all across the country. The parade will travel along Constitution Avenue and include balloons, floats, and celebrity performers. The Bulldog Band plans to play “Take Me Home, Country Roads” during the performance.
As the only band from West Virginia, Adams shared that the band played that song at Disney, and crowds of people were singing along in their own language. It’s a song that many people love, so the band is excited to represent the Mountain State.
Since Adams became the band director, the band has seen significant growth. She expects around 150-160 students next year. She’s excited to see where the band will go and hopes to keep finding ways to get its name out there and give the students more experiences.