The BVNW Howling Husky Marching Band will be performing alongside the Dazzler Dance Team at the Overland Park Parade. According to the band instructor, John Selzer, the parade will take place on Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. and will march right through the heart of downtown Overland Park, Kan..

According to Selzer, the parade will have many entries from the Overland Park area. He said there will be several marching bands from other school districts such as Shawnee Mission, numerous small groups such as Girl Scouts, and some congressmen and senators from Overland Park. Selzer said there will be about 70-80 different entries. According to Selzer, the parade will be at the same time as the Overland Park Fall Festival, which means there will be lots of art displays and sidewalk sales.
Selzer said participating in the Overland Park Parade is the only yearly parade opportunity for the band.
“Marching in a parade lets us perform in front of a large audience,” Selzer said. “The Overland Park Parade is a very well attended parade. It is an excellent performance opportunity. People who normally don’t see us at a football game get to see us perform. There will be a whole new audience. Also, parade marching is significantly different from when we perform at the halftime show; it is a different skill we practice.”

The Dazzler Dance Team coach, Andrea Smith also believes the Overland Park Parade will be a great opportunity for the Dazzlers to participate in. She said the girl will get exposure so the community can see them. According to Smith, they only perform at one parade and they will need to do a different type of dance for the parade.

According to Selzer, the band will be using brand new equipment in the parade and they will perform the BVNW Fight Song and one other piece while they march. He said the band spent some of their rehearsal time to prepare for the parade. Smith said the Dazzlers have not spent too much time preparing for the parade because they already know most of the dance routine.
According to Selzer, working with the dazzlers was great. He said they work hard, show up early to practice, and take it seriously. Likewise, Smith said the Dazzlers love working with the band.
“[Selzer] is the best,” she said. “The girls love the band and I love the band. They are fun kids. The girls are also exited to perform in the parade. They like to go out and see other schools. It’s a very different atmosphere because it’s a little more laid back. They enjoy it.”
According to sophmore marching band member, Zac Stower, the band is very ecstatic to perform in the parade.
“We have been practicing a lot,” Stower said. “We first started rehearsing for the parade during the beginning of the year. I think we are very well prepared to perform. I’m excited for the parade and it should be a lot of fun.”
Selzer said the only challenges in performing in a parade are the logistics of moving a large band and finding a place for 200 students to perform. He claimed the parade will go on rain or shine, but the band would be forced to drop the parade if it heavily rained because the band equipment and uniforms would get damaged. Selzer said the band will be very well prepared on Sept. 29.

“We have gotten lots of positive feedback from parents and students,” said Selzer. “The parade is at a great time of year and a great time of day. It is absolutely free to come and watch us perform and it is easy to access because it is right here in Overland Park.”