There were a lot of military bands that performed at the Disneyland Resort as the United States of America celebrated its 250th anniversary this weekend. As part of the festivities, the Disney Celebrates America initiative added Disney magic to this milestone celebration in the history of America. At the Disneyland Resort, Soarin’ Across America’s opening was one of the highlights of the 4th of July weekend. There were also incredible fireworks, a cavalcade, photo ops, merchandise, food, and beverages to enjoy as well. Throughout the week, military bands performed in both parks and the Downtown Disney District. These bands provided opportunities to honor and thank the service members who sacrifice to protect the freedoms that those who came before worked so hard to win. They also provided some incredible performances.
One of the bands that performed at the Disneyland Resort for the 4th of July weekend was the 1st Marine Division Band. The band performed in various locations on both the 4th and 5th of July. Their first performance was during the beautiful patriotic flag retreat on the 4th of July in Town Square. This led to more performances by the band and one of its breakout groups in the evening.
On the 5th of July, the full band performed in two locations, both of which are iconic. The first performance took place in the early afternoon at Disney California Adventure’s Avengers Campus. This has become a tradition for the band in recent years. On a warm summer afternoon, the band marched out on top of the Avengers HQ building. They performed for a few minutes of well-known marches before being joined by Captain America and Captain Marvel as they played The Avengers Main Theme. Those who were watching were already loving seeing the band perform in Avengers Campus, and adding the characters made it even more awesome. The full performance can be seen here:
The second performance of the full 1st Marine Division Band on the 5th of July took place at Disneyland. This was in the late afternoon, and had the band performing in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. A highlight of this performance was the performance of America the Beautiful. Following the performance in front of the castle, the band marched through Disneyland and exited the park by it’s a small world. This performance and march can be seen here:
The 1st Marine Division Band is based out of Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. The band was organized during World War II in 1940 in the Pacific Theater of Operations. During the early stages of this war, the band had to lay its instruments down and become frontline troops for four months during the 1st Marine Division’s first land offensive against Japan. The band resumed its musical duties after being relieved at Guadalcanal and being sent to Australia. It played concerts in major cities in Australia. The enthusiasm with which it was met led to it being unofficially known as “Australia’s Own.” Waltzing Matilda was adopted as the official song of the 1st Marine Division after it was played for George Washington’s birthday in February 1943. After the war, the band returned ot the United States.
Through the coming decades, the band was deployed to Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Today, the band continues its mission to support the 1st Marine Division and other commands at Camp Pendleton through music. It performs at Camp Pendleton, in the local community, and throughout the United States. One of the places it has performed fairly consistently through the years is the Disneyland Resort for events like the 4th of July. Captain Eric K. Kyne leads the band.
In the evening, breakout groups from the band performed in the Downtown Disney District. Daps Magic will be sharing videos of these performances as well. What did you think of the 1st Marine Division Band performances in Avengers Campus and at Sleeping Beauty Castle? What song was your favorite? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
1st Marine Division Band at Sleeping Beauty Castle | 4th of July Weekend Disney Celebrates America
