Marching Illini Chosen For 2015 Macy’s Parade

The University of Illinois' Marching Illini will be one of just a handful of marching bands to perform in next year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The university said Friday that the Marching Illini will be one of 10 bands to perform in the 2015 Thanksgiving parade. More than 175 applied for a spot.

Barry Houser is director of the Marching Illini. He said in a news release that he had kept the news under wraps for more than a month as he waited for Macy's to make the news public.

Wesley Whatley is the creative director for the parade. He said in a statement that the selection committee was ``blown away'' by the band's ability to entertain and engage a crowd.

The parade will be Nov. 26, 2015.