# Little Britches Parade - May 16, 2026 The NDC Marching Band is jumping into the Little Britches Parade once again this year. Here are the important details you need to know as performers and families; ## Parade Day Update - The Parade is a Go, Battle of the Bands is cancelled for NDC **Students are encouraged to bring a toque or buff they can wear under the hoods of our jackets.** **Beef on a Bun is still expected to be served to any student wearing an NDC Jacket.** ## Anticipated Schedule - Rain or Shine Please note that our schedule is at the mercy of the organizers of the parade, who have dozens of floats, bands, politicians, businesses and horse entries to manage, so we must be flexible with some of our times, and others we must follow strictly so that we can be properly prepared for them when they need us. *Current weather forecast predicts a cooler day on Saturday, but we'll still be marching anyway. If necessary, we'll open the hoods of our jackets and provide gloves.* - 8:45 AM - Meet at St. Francis deSales Catholic Church (206 - 9 Avenue SW, High River, AB) with appropriate attire and equipment, see below - 9:30 AM - Lined up and ready to go - 10:00 AM - Parade starts, Parade Marshalls will tell us when to enter the parade. - 11:30 AM - Likely done the parade, students walk to George Lane Park, claim the green space between the bathroom and the path nearby the Bandstand - Once we get to George Lane Park - Beef on a Bun, courtesy the Highwood Lions Club (your band jacket is your ticket for food) - Students will need to sit and eat together so Mr. Windsor or Drum Major Roise can gather them easily. - ***Battle of the Bands Portion - Cancelled*** ## Required and Recommended Equipment - **Required:** Running shoes or cross-training shoes (no crocs, birkenstocks, flats or heels ... we have to march on 5 kilometers of pavement, so footwear should manage that). Black preferred, but any colour is good, the most important part is student safety for the feet. - **Required:** Black pants (professional, not track suits, sweat pants or tights) - **Required:** White undershirt (Mr. Windsor recommends two shirts, one very lightweight if it's warm, and one warmer if it's cool) - **Required:** Instrument (Mr. Windsor will transport drumline, tubas, baritone saxophones, bass clarinets and baritones. Mr. Windsor will *not* transport smaller instruments, sticks or maintenance supplies). - **Provided by NDC:** NDC Music Jacket (students will receive that during the school days this week) - **Provided by NDC:** Gloves if necessary - **Provided by NDC:** Water bottles - *Recommended:* Sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent (especially if it rains between now and the parade). - *Not Recommended:* Water bottles. You will have no place to put them. Mr. Windsor will bring multiple flats of water bottles that will be more appropriate for marching students' needs. - **Staff Request:** If you are support Staff (usually Grades 10-12) we ask you bring your own mouthpiece/sticks/reeds just in case. Hopefully not necessary, but you'll feel like you can support better if you have them. ## Other Support This Week - All Grade 7s, 9s, and High School students performing in the parade and Battle of the Bands will be called out during Block 1 of Wednesday, May 13, 2026 to rehearse. The Grade 8s are already in band class at that time. - The Band Room is open all lunch hours for extra practice time if necessary. ## For more information about the Parade visit [https://littlebritchesparade.ca](https://littlebritchesparade.ca)