On Friday nights in the fall, Homewood High School football games draw large crowds — but for many fans, it's the Patriot Marching Band, not the game, that takes center stage. Under the leadership of Band Director Chris Cooper, the band impresses at every halftime show, filling the field with all 353 student performers — including the Patriot Guard, Starlets and Star Spangled Girls.

The Homewood band has earned international acclaim and will add another major milestone to its résumé when it marches in the iconic Rose Parade on Jan. 1, 2026.

“This will be my sixth Rose Parade,” said Cooper, who is in his 26th year with the Homewood Band. “I can’t tell you how exciting it is that morning right before we step off. Marching through TV Corner is a memory the students will carry with them for

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