PHILADELPHIA, Penn. — A trip two years in the making didn't end the way the Sahuarita High School Mustang Marching Band expected—but it still gave the students a chance to perform on a national stage.
The Sahuarita Mustang Marching Band was among dozens of groups that traveled to Philadelphia to participate in the Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade, part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration. However, organizers canceled Friday's parade because of an extreme heat wave, leaving thousands of performers without the opportunity they had spent years preparing for.
VIDEO: Watch below as the Sahuarita Mustang Marching Band performs at 6abc Action News:
Organizers made the decision to cancel the parade after temperatures reached a record-tying 103°F the previous day, with heat indexes projected to soar between 105°F and 112°F during the event. So, for Sahuarita, just another summer day.
The Sahuarita band had raised thousands of dollars and spent nearly two years perfecting its performance for the once-in-a-generation event.
Instead of heading home without performing, the students received an unexpected invitation from WPVI-TV, also known as 6abc Action News.
Action News welcomed the Sahuarita Mustang Marching Band and the Pulaski High School Red Raider Marching Band from Wisconsin to its studios, where both groups were able to showcase the performances they had worked so hard to prepare.
Band leaders said they were thrilled to have the opportunity after the disappointment of the parade cancellation. Before and after the performances, the television station provided water bottles to help students stay hydrated amid the dangerous heat.
While the historic parade never marched through the streets of Philadelphia, the Sahuarita students still had the chance to represent Southern Arizona in front of a television audience, turning a disappointing setback into a memorable moment during the nation's 250th anniversary celebration.
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