Robert Bone, chairman and founder of the New Year’s Day London Parade, stepped up to the podium, smiled and proclaimed that the gathering is the “greatest event in the greatest city in the world.”

When the calendar rolls into 2026, the Mercer Island High School (MIHS) marching band will be strolling the streets of England’s capital city with instruments in hand and sharing its music with the world at the prestigious event.

With excitement filling the air on April 2 in the MIHS gymnasium, Bone’s colleague Steve Summers, chairman of The London Mayors’ Association, formally invited the band to perform in the 40th installment of the parade.

The crowd went wild, and Summers took that as an acceptance to participate in the event.

MIHS band director Parker Bixby grasped the invitation plaque, hoisted it over his head and happily yelled at the crowd, which featured the Islander band filling the grandstand. The band performed earlier in the event, and Bone and Summers said the musicians were superb and brilliant.

“The experiences, the things you’ll see, the memories that will be formed, the friendships that you will make will change your life forever,” said Summers, the former Lord Mayor of the city of Westminster.

Summers was proud to note that Londoners will give the talented MIHS band members such a warm welcome that it will blow their minds. He’s grateful for all the hard work the band puts forth each time out.

“I know great performances like that don’t just happen. It’s a lot of commitment, it’s a lot of sacrifice, it’s a lot of fundraising,” he said.

Bone said that 16 high school and college bands will represent the United States at the parade, which attracts a street audience of around a half a million people each year. The parade is broadcast live on television across the globe and reached 340 million homes this year. The event features roughly 8,000 participants from 22 different countries.

The route is situated in the center of London and performers will march past such iconic sights as Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square.

Earlier in the event, Bixby — who directed the MIHS band at the 2011 London parade — told the crowd: “This is an exciting morning for Mercer Island because we get to set our sights on a pretty ambitious project to take this band to London and see one of the greatest cities in the world from the best parade route on the planet.”

On the invitation front, Bixby told the Reporter that the MIHS marching band’s participation in the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City began a conversation with the London selection group.

“They reviewed our readiness and our plan to participate, they looked at our participation in New York and offered us an invitation,” he said.

Bixby and Mercer Island School District Superintendent Fred Rundle told the crowd that the MIHS band has benefited from community support, fundraising and copious hours of rehearsals.

MIHS Principal Nick Wold said the band’s energy and commitment is a labor of love.

“The reputation of our band has been a beautiful thing. The pride of the Island for many, many, many years and you get a chance to be a part of that legacy and a legacy of this beautiful parade,” he said after the parade dignitaries gifted the school a livery plate from Buckingham Palace.

Band directors Bixby and Kyle Thompson received coffee mugs that celebrate King Charles III’s 2023 coronation, and junior drum major Owen Clarkson was presented with an exclusive Westminster city pin. MIHS band members presented gift bags to their guests.

“We are absolutely thrilled that you will be coming to London for our 40th parade. Can’t think of a better group that we could possibly be inviting to come over and join us on our 40th celebration on January the 1st, 2026,” Bone said.

Following the event, Clarkson said the London parade will be huge, fun and energetic. He discussed what drives the band to success: “Of course, we sound great. We put in a ton of work to sound and look great, but we also don’t compromise the energy of our performance to look perfect. For us, if it’s having energy and missing a note or two, we’re taking the energy 100%.”

Senior drum majors Julius Perez and Henry Newcomer are stoked to pave the way for the MIHS crew that will perform in London.

“It’s so exciting to see, knowing that this is my senior year, this is the time where I’m really giving everything back to the programs that have given so much to me,” said Perez, whose younger brother Rowan will head to London.

Newcomer added: “It’s really cool because I’ve been in the band since fifth grade and so I’ve kind of been able to see this whole culture shift and have been able to be a part of all these different trips and experiences (for him and others).”

From left, Steve Summers, chairman of The London Mayors’ Association, and Mercer Island High School marching band directors Parker Bixby and Kyle Thompson pose with the 2026 New Year’s Day London Parade invitation on April 2. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo

Robert Bone, chairman and founder of the New Year’s Day London Parade, speaks about the event at Mercer Island High School on April 2. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo

Steve Summers, the former Lord Mayor of the city of Westminster, discusses the highlights of London and more at Mercer Island High School on April 2. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo

Members of the Mercer Island High School marching band perform on April 2. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo