Roosevelt Band Marches in Pearl Harbor Parade

The Des Moines band will perform at Hawaii's 85th Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade on December 7.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Safety

Wide photograph of an empty palm-lined coastal avenue on a Hawaiian island, a turquoise harbor and green volcanic ridge beyond, with a brass sousaphone resting on a stone curb. — The Roosevelt Marching Band from Des Moines will perform in Hawaii's 85th Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade on December 7, alongside Marine Forces Pacific Band. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The Roosevelt Marching Band from Des Moines will perform in the 85th Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Hawaii on December 7. The band will play alongside the Marine Forces Pacific Band and other collegiate and high school bands from across the country.

Why it matters

The performance gives Iowa students a visible role in one of the nation's most significant commemorations of the attack on Pearl Harbor. For Hawaii residents and visitors, the parade offers a live, community-wide tribute to those who served.

The Roosevelt Marching Band has practiced for over 15 months, and its performance will span more than a mile and last over an hour. The source does not state how many students are performing or the parade route.

The players

Roosevelt Marching Band

A marching band from Des Moines, Iowa, representing Roosevelt High School's music program in the parade.

Marine Forces Pacific Band

A U.S. Marine Corps military band based in Hawaii that performs at official ceremonies and public events across the Pacific region.

The details

Students attended extra early morning practices to learn new music and choreography for the performance. The band is preparing to entertain the audience with energy as it marches through the parade.

Over 15 months before the parade, the Roosevelt band began practicing for the event.
December 7, 2026: The 85th Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade takes place in Hawaii.

Seasonal Patterns

The 85th Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade continues an annual December 7 observance that has recurred since the 1941 attack. Its recurrence over eight-plus decades makes this year's edition a continuation of a long-standing Hawaii tradition rather than a one-time event.

Hawaii residents and visitors planning to attend the December 7 parade should arrive early to secure viewing spots along the route. Those traveling to Oahu should check parade route and road closure notices in advance.

The takeaway

Community bands like Roosevelt's show how sustained, months-long preparation brings national commemorations to life. Readers planning to attend can use the parade's December 7 date to arrange travel and viewing well ahead of time.