Burlington-Central band on national stage again

Tom Turkey and Big Bird balloons may get all the looks during the McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago.

But the Burlington-Central High School marching band will have your ears as they perform during the nationally televised parade that's expected to draw 400,000 spectators and more than 1 million viewers.

"The kids are like really, really stoked about it," said band Director Jim Struyk.

As they mosey along State Street between Congress Parkway and Randolph Street, the 70-member band will perform their renditions of "Sun Cat," which Struyk describes as a "Latin tune to keep it hot" and "I Want You Back," the Jackson 5 oldie that's become the band's theme song.

"It's a fun tune and the crowd really gets into it," said Struyk, who is in his third year at the school.

The two-hour parade, in its 74th year, includes an eclectic roster, boasting Elphaba from the musical "Wicked" as the grand marshal and a performance from the hit band Plain White T's, said Phil Purevich, executive director of the Chicago Festival Association that puts on the parade.

The parade will be broadcast live at 9 a.m. on Channel 9, reaching a national audience on Superstation WGN.

In other words, 72 million people will have a chance to watch the parade at home, Purevich said.

This year's parade features 26 high school marching bands, and 11 are from Illinois, he said.

A committee selected the best bands during an application process that included a taped performance, he said.

Struyk says he motivates "the little band from Burlington" by encouraging them to be the absolute best at their craft.

"The kids have a lot of heart and a lot of passion in what they do," he said.

National exposure is nothing new to the band.

In 2006, it represented Illinois in New York City during the Nation's Day Parade, the largest Veterans Day parade in the country.