Harrisonburg’s Rock City Regiment will perform at the National Veterans Parade

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – Harrisonburg Public Schools announced the Rock City Regiment Marching Band will perform in National Veterans Parade in Washington, November 10.

The Rock City Regiment is a joint HCPS team that includes students from Harrisonburg High School and the new Rocktown High School.

Davis Bert, an HHS student and drum major in the Rock City Regiment, said he is proud of himself and his classmates for earning a spot to perform with other high school, college and military bands.

“It will be something new to experience,” Bert said. “We have never traveled this far for a parade before, and the opportunity to perform at the national level – even if it’s not competition style – is an honor.”

The group was formed this year after some HHS students moved to Rocktown when the new school opened in August. Bert said there were some challenges with this. However, with the support of band director Daniel Upton, faculty and classmates, the Rocktown students said they were happy to continue working with their former classmates.

“The band was truly an amazing way to catch up with friends and make memories through this amazing program. I don’t think any of the students here would really enjoy having to start from scratch, start smaller. Everyone likes to have a bigger and fuller sound,” said assistant drum major and Rocktown student Jose Rocha Salva.

In addition to participating in the November 10 parade, the Rock City Regiment will perform the “Forged Together” field show on the National Mall in 2024 as part of the concurrent National Field Show Festival.