The Bishop Noll band is off to a great start with a summer band camp, Fourth of July parades and performances at the Homecoming pep rally and football game. On Saturday, they marched in the 63rd annual Mexican Independence Parade in East Chicago.
“We feel it's important to give back to the community and to share in its pride on this special day,” said Rocco Carioto, band director.
The band members will next perform Sept. 22 as they have been accepted to compete in the Chicago Football Classic band competition inside Soldier Field in front of thousands of attendees.
Their show is a tribute to Chicago’s championship sports teams and is titled “Tomorrow Finally Came!”
After the band and Carioto accepted the invitation to play at Soldier Field, they almost had to cancel because Carioto’s wedding was planned for the night before. His fiancée, Angelica, agreed to let her husband spend their honeymoon on the field if she could come to the 50-yard line for a picture in her wedding dress with her groom in his tuxedo. Competition organizers agreed and are excited to invite the newly married couple to the field.
“It is a special moment for us having these kids, my kids, share in this special weekend with us and being a part of our nuptials,” said Carioto. “It will be a show to remember for the ages.”