Kermit the Frog will serve as celebrity conductor in the Rose Parade’s New Year Celebration presented by Honda. Kermit will lead the virtual performance showcasing seniors in high school and college.
The world’s most famous amphibian and international film and television star is no stranger to the Rose Parade; in 1996 Kermit rode down Colorado Boulevard as grand marshal.
The segment will feature hundreds of students from bands across the country, and from around the world, who will come together for a special, virtual performance of “Everything’s Coming up Roses.” From Pennsylvania to San Diego and from Sweden to Panama, these students will be part of history as the first virtual performance in America’s New Year Celebration.
Among the schools and organizations taking part will be the Arcadia High School Apache Marching Band and the St. Ursula Eichi Honor Green Band of Sendai, Japan.
The Tournament of Roses has invited all the bands who were scheduled to perform in the 2021 Rose Parade to join us for the 2022 Rose Parade. There are many seniors who will graduate and who will not have the opportunity to perform on Jan. 1, so they are being given their very own, unique performance spotlight.
The music and choreography were sent to each school for preparation and rehearsal. Each student submitted a video of themselves performing. “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” musical arrangement and flag choreography for the routine was a collaborative effort from Kevin Sherrill (band director of Arcadia High School), Joey Kidd (drill instructor of Arcadia High), Kyle Luck (band director of Pasadena City College), and the U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band.
The Tournament of Roses has partnered with six broadcasters to air a two-hour TV entertainment special on New Year’s Day. The show will air during the time slot traditionally reserved for live coverage of the Rose Parade. The special will air on ABC, Hallmark Channel, KTLA, NBC and RFD-TV at 8 a.m. local time on Jan. 1, 2021.