Local band directors participating in the Saluting America’s Band Directors (SABD) project march in the 2026 Tournament of Roses Parade Jan. 1 include, from left, Kyle Zimmerman of East Palestine, Charles Miller of Columbiana, Jennifer Mollenkopf of East Palestine, Emily Forbes Bowling of Southern Local and Eric Bable of Crestview. (Submitted photo)

The Saluting America’s Band Directors (SABD) project has once again assembled band directors from all 50 states, plus Canada, Mexico, and Panama, to march in the 2026 Tournament of Roses Parade under the theme “We teach music. We teach Life.”

Jennifer Mollenkopf and Kyle Zimmerman (East Palestine High School), Emily Forbes Bowling (Southern Local Jr./Sr. High), Charles Miller (Columbiana High School), and Eric Bable (Crestview High School) have been selected to join a marching band made of more than 350 band directors in Pasadena’s famous Rose Parade on Jan. 1. The band will accompany a colorful, animated float along the 5.5 mile parade route.

This will be the third time the Band Directors Marching Band will be featured on the national stage. They first marched in the 2022 Rose Parade, with Mollenkopf and Bowling participating in the original group. When the band was invited to get back together to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in 2023, Miller and Zimmerman were also selected to join the band. Now in its third iteration, Bable will also be accompanying the group to California.

In addition to the parade, the band will spend several days rehearsing and performing throughout the area at events such as the Tournament of Roses Bandfest and float judging contest.

The band will be led by nationally known music educator Jon Waters, and is sponsored by the Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation, which is based in Pickerington, Ohio. The project aims to recognize the extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of band directors and music educators everywhere. Combined, the directors in this project have taught hundreds of thousands of students and have 5,493 years of teaching experience.

Some directors are in their first year, while the oldest marcher is in his 50th year of teaching. Within Columbiana County directors, Zimmerman is in his third year, Miller is in year 12, Bable is in year 14, Bowling is in year 26, and Mollenkopf is in year 31.

Nationwide, members of the Band Directors Marching Band are also contributing to the project with their “Service Through Music” initiative. At the local level, both the Columbiana and East Palestine bands presented the SABD arrangement of “Amazing Grace” as a tribute to first responders at performances this fall. These efforts will be recognized at a gala dinner while in Pasadena.

Watch the parade locally starting at 11 a.m. EST on Jan. 1 on channels such as NBC, ABC, and RFD-TV, or stream it live on platforms such as Peacock, Hulu + Live TV, or YouTube TV.