Four yellow school buses headed over the bridge to Duluth, Minnesota on Nov. 17. With no cheerleaders aboard the buses, band members like senior Nia Rideaux enjoyed extra legroom. Twenty minutes later the students were dropped off in the cold and onto the corner of London Road.

During the bus ride Rideaux and junior Mazie Turchi kept each other company.

“I guess it was okay, because I was with Mazie, and we were playing games,” Rideaux said. “She was telling me about this specific book she was reading and it was really interesting.”

Rideaux has been participating in the parade since her freshman year where many memories were made.  

“There was this one time when I was walking with Devin Boorne and he like slipped and it was really funny because we were going down a hill,” Rideaux said.

Though it comes with its fair share of good memories, marching band has physical and mental tolls as well.

“Well it’s kind of physically exhausting because you’re just walking back and forth for like a hour,” Rideaux said.  “Its mentally exhausting because you have to stay lined up and it can be frustrating.”

In the week leading up to the parade, hours of practice each day have been spent outside in the cold. With fingertips frozen, and cheeks flushed red Rideaux and the band marched back and forth down Spartan Drive playing “You’re a Mean One Mister Grinch.”

The Christmas City of the North Parade is held every November on Superior Street in Downtown Duluth. The parade has many participants but one that hits close to home is the Superior High School’s marching band.