The Best Marching Band Moments of 2016

Happy New Year!! It was another amazing season for college marching bands across the country. We really enjoyed visiting with so many band programs this year and taking in their traditions and performances. 

The band family showed once again how strong it is, and we want to showcase to you some of the memorable moments from the 2016 season. 

Here are our top ten from the 2016 season:

(Click each link to view the corresponding stories related to each moment)

10. West Virginia performs in the Thanksgiving Day Parade

Over 690,000 people have viewed this video that we posted.



9. Our Game Visits

We visited more bands, covered more halftime performances than ever before and had SO much fun doing it.









8. Corps Style Bands Amaze

 Every year we love to watch the progression of the Corps style shows. In 2016, West Chester, RCC, Western Carolina, and Texas A&M Commerce were some of our favorites.

7. ESPN Starts Showing the Halftime Shows

It’s still not all of the halftime shows, but it is definitely a start. ESPN began showing select halftime shows on the SEC Networks’s and Longhorn Network’s online platforms.

6. Announcement of the National Collegiate Marching Band Championships and Festival

Columbia, South Carolina here we come!!

5. Band Programs Reach out to Louisiana Flood Victims

After floods ravaged the state of Louisiana, multiple band programs and their families suffered major losses to not only their instruments and equipment, but to their homes as well. The Southern University was one of the programs, and The Ohio State band program reached out to show their love and support. Even while The Human Jukebox was hurting, they still found time to go lift the spirits of other victims.

4. Honoring Pearl Harbor

One of the best things about college marching band performances is that they can give us perspective and remind us what is important and relevant in the moment. Jacksonville State Marching Southerners and University of Washington Husky Band honoring the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor is no exception.

3. Team Jaron



This year Jaron Lehman, a member of the mellophone section in The University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band, was diagnosed with cancer. Jaron has decided that he won’t let cancer pull him away from the organization and the activity that he loves the most, the marching band. While fighting his cancer he hopes to inspire others to never give up on and to push through any obstacle that comes in your way. Jaron continues to march in the band even while going through his treatments. 

College bands across the country continue their fight against cancer through the “Be The Match” program. To date 14 lives have been saved from band members donating bone marrow.

2. Support for the injured Ohio State band member

The attack on Ohio State’s campus was tragic, but the support shown to the injured band member Anthony DiCocco from Clemson  and Florida State was amazing!

1. Band World Remembers David Grotberg 

The Baylor Band suffered tremendous loss in October when trumpeter David Grotberg was killed in a hit and run accident.  Other bands honored David, Baylor continued to perform with heavy hearts, and the Grotberg Family was very thankful for all the love.



We know that 2017 is already going to be bigger and better than ever and we can’t wait to be a part of it. Thank you to all of our followers for being a part of our band family here at CollegeMarching.com.