Representing schools located along the 27 miles of the 605 Freeway in Los Angeles County, 500 students from three separate school districts joined forces for a march down Colorado Boulevard during the 136th Rose Parade, adorned in freeway-themed uniforms.
Red, blue, and green and covered in a road design, the 605 All-Star Band uniforms were talkers at this year’s parade.
“LOVING the 605 Marching Band!” User @WorldCitizenLA posted on the social platform X. “Those road stripes…”
The 605 Band is the largest marching band in the 2025 edition of the parade and one of the largest the parade has ever seen. It is made up of more than 500 members representing three school districts, seven cities and the following eight high schools: Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, John Glenn, Gahr, La Mirada, Mayfair and Norwalk.
The band’s enormous size made the uniforms — and technical logistics like making turns during the parade — all more impressive.
@the.socal.local How does a band with more than 500 members practice for the Rose Parade “TV corner” turn onto Colorado Boulevard? The 605 All-Star Band made up of eight local high schools recently took over Norwalk streets to practice ahead of the New Year’s Day telecast. Read more at the link in our bio.
: Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG #marchingband #roseparade #605allstarband #2025roseparade #pasadena #norwalk #bandfest
The band is one of the few things we can thank COVID-19 for: After the pandemic downsized each of the music programs that now comprise the marching band, leaders at each school came together to build a unique composite band that had never been done before in California.
@marchingtrend
The ensemble was the idea of Tom Philips, Mayfair High School’s band director, who will be retiring in 2025. Rehearsals are primarily done separately, including both musical practice and physical conditioning. Students from all the schools did come together to record their audition for the 136th Rose Parade.