NEMCC Showband from Tigerland set to bring holiday spirit to northeast Mississippi

Northeast marching band set to appear in Iuka, Booneville and Baldwyn parades

by Michael H. Miller

BOONEVILLE, Miss. -- (10/31/2023) — Northeast Mississippi Community College's Showband from Tigerland will bring the spirit of the holiday season to Christmas and holiday parades across northeast Mississippi at the beginning of December.

Northeast's Showband from Tigerland is scheduled to appear in three local Christmas/holiday parades to help kick off the holiday season.

After marching season ends, the nearly 150-person marching band turns its attention to parade routes and bringing holiday joy throughout the college's five-county service district - Alcorn, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union counties, but with over 40 different Christmas/holiday parades in those five counties, the band selects a few parades each year to be a part of.

Parade season for the Showband from Tigerland officially begins when the marching band makes its way to Tishomingo County to be part of the City of Iuka Christmas parade on Friday, December 1 at 6:30 p.m.

Northeast returns to the parade route just three days later as the Showband from Tigerland takes part in the City of Hospitality and its hometown Christmas Parade on Monday, December 4 at 6 p.m.

As part of the City of Booneville Parade, the Showband from Tigerland is one of the largest organizations in the parade and will start its parade march from its usual location at the Booneville Church of Christ along Second Street in Booneville.

While many of the Showband from Tigerland members will march almost two miles in the Booneville Christmas parade, many will return to the Bonner Arnold Coliseum immediately following their parade route to support the Tiger basketball team as it takes on Coahoma Community College at the same time as the Christmas parade.

Northeast wraps up its 2023 parade season a night later as the Showband from Tigerland makes the short trek down MS-145 to the City of Baldwyn to take part in its holiday parade at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 5.

Northeast's Showband from Tigerland is one of the college's biggest organization and serves a social ambassador for the college.

Number over 150 strong, the Northeast marching band performs its pre-game and halftime shows at every Northeast home football games, at Meet the Tigers and all pep rallies as well as Northeast NOW recruitment events plus many more functions throughout the year.

One of the marching band's biggest recruitment events is the Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships that was held on the last Saturday in September. During the 2023 event, approximately 40 bands competed with over 45 marching performances that helped bring 15,000-20,000 people to the City of Hospitality.

Members of the Northeast Showband from Tigerland continue the long-standing tradition of being involved in multiple Fine Arts groups at the college. Members can be seen in the college's Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, as members of the Pom Squad, Campus Country and the Indoor Winter Guard as well as members of the pep band for basketball games or lending their talents to other Fine Arts activities during the spring semester.

Northeast marching band alumni have gone on to four-year colleges and universities using the work ethic the Showband from Tigerland instilled into them and have taken their passion and desire into their professional careers as band directors, music instructors and pillars of their communities.

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