The 154-member band, made up of students from several area school districts, was seen on TV at about 12:30 p.m., wearing their distinctive flower-decorated uniforms. With temperatures hovering at about 40 degrees in Pasadena, Calif., it was an unusually cold New Year's Day parade, but the weather was clear and dry.

In an e-mail to the Chester County Press, Unionville-Chadds Ford School District superintendent John Sanville offered his congratulations. "The appearance of many UHS Marching Band members in the Rose Bowl Parade, as part of the Cavalcade of Bands Honor Band, was the culmination of practice, dedication, fundraisers, hard work, and more practice!" he wrote. "Marching bands live to march -- it is where their passion comes to life -- and that our students were able to participate in one of the premier parades is a dream come true for everyone. We recognize the contributions of our musicians, band director Scott Litzenberg and his team, the parents, and countless others. They did not miss a beat!"

The Cavalcade of Bands Honor Band marches at the Rose Bowl on Dec. 31.

The band members practiced and fundraised for months to make the trip to California, which included both the parade and an appearance at the Rose Bowl on Dec. 31. The band was led by Unionville High School band director Scott Litzenberg. The field show at the Rose Bowl was led by drum majors Lindsay Saienn of Avon Grove High School, and Kerri Townsend of Spring Ford High School.