SALINEVILLE -Among the members of "The Most Exciting Band in the Land" performing at this year's Parade of Roses in Pasadena, Calif., today will be 2008 Southern Local graduate James Ryan Smith.
The son of James and Cheryl Smith, Maple Hill Road, Smith play the trumpet, performing with the Ohio University Marching 110 under the direction of Dr. Richard Suk.
A sophomore at OU in Athens, Smith is a music and mathematics major and a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, national honorary band service fraternity, for which he was elected historian this past fall quarter.
His parents said they are "very proud" of his achievements, and Smith thanked his family, friends and "awesome co-workers" at the Lisbon McDonald's for his success.
The Marching 110 will be performing along with numerous other top-ranked high school, collegiate and organizational bands from around the country that are invited to participate in the annual event.
This year, the 121st parade is themed, "2010: A Cut Above the Rest," and will feature as parade marshal Chesley B. Sullenberger III, captain of the U.S. Airways Flight 1549
which he safely landed in the Hudson River Jan. 15, saving the lives of all 155 people on board.
The parade was begun in 1890 by the Valley Hunt Club as a way to promote California's fair weather, according to historical records, which note that member Charles F. Holder announced at a meeting, "In New York, people are buried under the snow. Here, our flowers are in bloom, and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise."
That first parade consisted of flower-covered horse carriages, foot races, polo matches and tug-of-war games which drew 2,000 spectators.
Last year, more than 700,000 people gathered along the 5.5-mile parade route to watch close to numerous bands, equestrian units and nearly 50 floats, all of which must be covered by all natural materials such as flowers, seeds, nuts, bark and even seaweed.
Most of the floats are now built by professional float-building companies and take about a year to build, but a multitude of volunteers still show up to assist with some floats.
The float leading this year's parade will be that of Farmers Insurance, while the city of Glendale will bring up the rear. This year, a salute to American soldiers will be held at the beginning of the parade, featuring a fly-over by F-18 jets flown by the Fighting Redcocks of Strike Fighter Squadron 22 out of the Naval Air Station in Lemoore, California.
In 1902, the first football game was associated with the parade, which has become the annual Rose Bowl game.
This year, Ohio State Buckeyes will take on the Oregon Ducks with a 5:10 p.m. (EST) kickoff.
