Next week, 44 million Americans will tune in to NBC to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. When they do, they’ll see North Texas’s own Flower Mound High School marching band, the only band representing the Lone Star State. It takes eight times around the school track to prepare for the two-mile march through Manhattan that Flower Mound’s marching band will undertake this time next week as one of eleven bands performing in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “I’m so pumped and excited. I mean, this is such a big trip,” said Shalom Lee. “It’s honestly pretty crazy just because we have so many kids in our band. This year we have close to 400 kids in our band, so we just have so many kids, so much equipment to take, so it’s really a big endeavor to get the band there,” said Drum Major Eshaan Kulkarni. “I’m a little nervous but think it’ll be fun,” said Evelyn Kim. It’s been a year and a half since the band learned they beat out hundreds of other applicants to represent Texas. In addition to their Thanksgiving walk and a performance in Herald Square, the students will get a week to explore the city which is a first for many. “I’m just excited to visit and see all the things, like Times Square, the Statue of Liberty,” said Amber McAnally. This trip marks the band’s first to the Macy’s Parade. The parade kicks off at 8:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving.