PORTLAND, Oregon — The Portland Rose Festival announced Wednesday that Greg McKelvey, the prolific band director at Battle Ground High School, will be the 2024 Grand Floral Parade Grand Marshal.
“Greg represents everything we love about the Rose Festival and Grand Floral Parade,” said Contesa Diaz-Nicolaidis, the president of the Rose Festival Board, in a statement.
“Greg has spent decades marching in our parades to showcase the hard work of his students. When times continue to get tougher for our young people, Greg always finds ways to make sure his students have a positive spotlight on them. We are so fortunate that Greg’s dedication to his students was matched in his dedication to sharing their talents with Portland and the world, for so many years,” she continued.
This summer, McKelvey will hang up his baton after 28 years in the Battle Ground School District. He's led the marching and advanced jazz bands through many successful seasons, including a 2023 first-place national finish for the jazz band.
McKelvey and the Battle Ground High School marching band will be at The Grand Floral Parade on June 8, starting at 10 a.m.
The Grand Floral Parade has been a staple of the festival for nearly 120 years. All-floral floats are the centerpiece of the parade, with marching bands, drill teams, dancers, vintage cars, equestrian units — and even llamas. Click here for the parade route map.
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