-- For the second time in as many years, the Georgia State Marching Band will be performing on a national stage as it was selected to participate in the 2014 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The announcement came Saturday during halftime of the final football scrimmage of the spring. Earlier in 2013, the band also performed at President Barack Obama's inauguration in Washington, D.C.“Georgia State University is honored that our marching band has been selected to march through the streets of New York City in on our nation's signature holiday parade, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Dr. Mark Becker, president of Georgia State University. “This achievement is recognition that the marching band, founded only three years ago, has quickly advanced from being a fledgling band to one worthy of the national stage. We are enormously proud of the staff and students who have put in countless hours of planning and practice to get the band to this point.”Band members were informed about the honor during a special halftime ceremony at the Georgia Dome Saturday. The GSU band will be one of only 10 marching ensembles in the 2014 parade after it beat out more than 175 applicants nationwide.“It is difficult to express how excited I am to see the Georgia State University Marching Band receive an invitation to march in the 2014 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Dr. Chester Phillips, director of athletic bands. “Since I was a child, my family has maintained a tradition of watching the parade each Thanksgiving morning, and next year our band will be a part of the magic. It's simply amazing. We are honored for the invitation and looking forward to being in New York and performing at Macy's Herald Square in 2014.”The annual event takes more than a year to plan and bands are typically informed of their selection about 18 months ahead of time. Selection is based on musical ability, marching and performance skills and local recognition.The GSU Marching Band will put its outstanding stage presence on display on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014.“The Macy's Band Selection Committee is amazed at the incredible performance quality the Georgia State University Marching Band has achieved in only a short few years of existence. We are thrilled to introduce this exciting new band to the Macy's Parade audience,” said Wesley Whatley, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade creative director.