Passed Down to Pasadena: A Rose Parade Legacy Continues at Timber Creek
For high school musicians and performers, marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone. But for several families in the Timber Creek Falcon Band and Dance Team, this iconic tradition hits even closer to home.
As the Timber Creek Band prepares to represent Texas on New Year’s Day at the 138th Rose Parade, some of our current students are following directly in the footsteps of their older siblings who previously marched down Colorado Boulevard.
Brothers. Two bands. One unforgettable tradition.
“In 1989, I had the incredible opportunity to march with Duncanville High School from Duncanville, Texas. That year was especially memorable because it marked the 100th anniversary—the Centennial Celebration—of the Rose Parade.
Garrett Nall holding his 2011 Rose Parade drumhead alongside his brother, Timber Creek band member Ethan Mead.
It was an unforgettable experience that I have cherished throughout the years. I still remember the excitement of flying to California and taking part in such an iconic tradition. I’ve shared stories from that trip with my children over the years, never imagining that one day I would experience it again from a parent’s perspective.
Now, I’m beyond excited that my son has this same incredible opportunity. It truly feels like a full-circle moment. I never dreamed I would have the privilege of watching one of my own children march in the Rose Parade.
What a special memory this will be for our family. I can’t wait to watch him march down Colorado Boulevard and create unforgettable memories of his own!”
For Ethan Mead, marching in the 2027 Tournament of Roses Parade will already be an experience of a lifetime. But for his family, the journey to Pasadena carries an extra-special meaning.
Ethan’s brother, Garrett Nall, marched with Birdville High School in the 122nd Tournament of Roses Parade in 2011.
Sixteen years later, Ethan will follow in his brother’s footsteps—this time wearing Timber Creek red and representing the Falcon Band on Colorado Boulevard.
And Garrett still has a special piece of that history: his parade drum head from 2011, a keepsake from an experience he says remains one of the greatest honors of his life.
“Marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade is to this day one of the greatest honors and achievements in my life. I look back on my time in Pasadena fondly and vividly. To see my brother now living out that same dream is truly beyond words. I am so proud of him and I know he will be able to look back on this experience as one of the most spectacular things he will have done. Go Ethan, mellos, and the Falcon Band!”
— Garrett Nall, Birdville High School, 2011
On January 1, 2027, Garrett will get to watch Ethan create his own Pasadena memories—continuing a Rose Parade legacy that now belongs to both brothers.
“Twenty-six years after I marched in the 2001 Tournament of Roses Parade with the Coppell High School Band, I am incredibly excited to watch my son follow in those same footsteps as a freshman trombone player with the Timber Creek Falcon Band in 2027.
Having your high school band selected to march in the Rose Parade is an incredibly rare privilege. For both a parent and child to have the opportunity to perform in this iconic parade during their high school years makes it even more extraordinary.
For CJ and me, this feels like so much more than a once-in-a-lifetime experience—it’s a special connection we’ll share for the rest of our lives.”
— Charles Mather
“As a Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band, I had the honor of marching in the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade. I still vividly remember the immense sound and incredible thrill of marching under that final bridge!
Now, almost two decades later, seeing my daughter, Emma, prepare to march in that same historic parade is incredibly special. I am filled with so much pride for her and her bandmates and the unwavering hard work and dedication they have shown to make this dream a reality.
Knowing Emma will soon experience something that has stayed with me all these years makes this journey to Pasadena even more meaningful.”
-Michael Byars
“In 1989, I had the incredible opportunity to march with Duncanville High School from Duncanville, Texas. That year was especially memorable because it marked the 100th anniversary—the Centennial Celebration—of the Rose Parade.
It was an unforgettable experience that I have cherished throughout the years. I still remember the excitement of flying to California and taking part in such an iconic tradition. I’ve shared stories from that trip with my children over the years, never imagining that one day I would experience it again from a parent’s perspective.
Now, I’m beyond excited that my son has this same incredible opportunity. It truly feels like a full-circle moment. I never dreamed I would have the privilege of watching one of my own children march in the Rose Parade.
What a special memory this will be for our family. I can’t wait to watch him march down Colorado Boulevard and create unforgettable memories of his own!”
- Kerry Page and Titus
