One of the primary duties of a school band is to march for important events. The Bishop Noll marching band will be marching on Monday, October 10, in a parade that will be broadcast on ABC channel 7 television – the Chicago Columbus Day Parade.
The Chicago Columbus Day Parade route follows Columbus Drive downtown. Kicking off at 12:00 noon, the annual tribute to Christopher Columbus and Chicago’s Italian-American population begins at Columbus and Balboa and runs about three blocks to Monroe.
Rocco Carioto, the BNI band director, wants the band to participate in this parade because he believes this will be a challenge for the student musicians.

“A major parade, such as this on the big stage, sets the bar for us to achieve and exceed our ability. We work as a team and understand that only through hard work and dedication we can do our best,” he says.

Bishop Noll will be represented at the parade with 25 band students, 17 dance team members, and eight cheerleaders. Noll’s pep band will lead the dance team and cheerleaders down the parade route while playing “America the Beautiful”.