The Selma High School Marching Band has been invited to take part in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Parade and Fan Fest in Atlanta Saturday.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will take on the Washington Huskies in the bowl, but the Saints and other high schools bands will be there to pump up the fans prior to the game.

“It’s not only a very humbling experience, but it’s definitely an honor to be invited to an event of this magnitude, especially with a band program that works as hard as we do,” said Brandon Williams, band director. “It shows that hard work does pay off.”

Williams said he was contacted by Kelly Fanning, who helps oversee the high school bands, in May about being in the parade, but it wasn’t until November when they filed the paperwork and made it official.

“We got invited to the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl in May. He saw us at a competition in Georgia and he really, really liked us and he asked me if we would be willing to participate,” Williams said.

“I didn’t know it was going to turn into this big with Alabama playing. At that time I didn’t know, I just wanted us to be part of a bowl game.”

Ty’Eshia Hartley, a 10th grader and clarinet co-section leader, said she was really excited to participate in the parade and she is looking forward to Saturday.

“I was very excited because this is something that is going to help out our program and it’s something that I like to do,” Hartley said.

“This is the first time that I’ve ever been in something like this and I’m just overall excited.”

Ralph Williams, 11th grader and snare drum section leader, said he too is excited about their trip to Atlanta.

“I was shocked because I thought that we would never get to go to one,” Ralph said.

“It’s real exciting. It’s going to be fun marching for the parade, and it’s really good that we got invited to it.”

Ralph said he is also an Alabama fan, so getting to participate in bowl game festivities for the university is going to be a great experience.

“I’ve never gotten close to any one of those games, and it’s going to be a big part of my year in band,” Ralph said. “I’m excited to march.”