Merrimack High marching band enlivens town’s Christmas parade

Merrimack High School students were feeling the holiday spirit on Dec. 2 during the town’s annual Christmas parade. The parade started at 3 p.m. at the Commons shopping plaza and ended at Abbie Griffin Park after traveling down Daniel Webster Highway. Among the candy-tossing participants were groups such as the Girl Scouts, Santa Claus and the Merrimack High marching band, which played popular Christmas music such as “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Jingle Bells” and “Joy to the World. “All things considered, the band didn’t do too bad,” said junior Brendan Adams, who plays the saxophone. Among those things considered was the low temperature, which makes most instruments flat as well as very cold to the touch, and the short amount of time the band had to get ready, which was only a couple weeks because the band also was preparing for its upcoming winter concert. “Even though it takes a lot of work to prepare for the Christmas parade, the band members enjoy it and look forward to it every year,” said Sandy Hall, the assistant band director. To prepare for the parade, the band practiced in the school parking lot at 7:30 a.m. several times a week.