Palm Springs band members receive surprise Rome performance invitation during concert ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

Bob Bone of Destination Events (right) speaks during a break in the Spring Fling band performance at Palm Springs High School Wednesday evening as the school’s director of bands, Matt Ingelson, listens.

Palm Springs High School’s Spirit of the Sands Marching Band was part of a surprise announcement Wednesday evening when international event organizer Bob Bone offered an invitation to participate in Rome’s 2026 New Year celebrations.

Bone, managing director and co-founder of Destination Events, made the surprise announcement during the Spring Fling concert at Palm Springs High School, revealing that the band would join a select group of performers for Rome’s flagship New Year’s Day parade on Jan. 1, 2026.

“It really is a terrific event and I am going to be inviting Palm Springs High School marching band to come and perform in that event,” Bone told the audience of unsuspecting students and attendees.

The Rome New Year celebration will mark its 20th anniversary in 2026, having grown into what Bone described as “the preeminent event that celebrates New Year in Rome and in fact in Italy in general.” The students will join performers from across the globe in a parade that attracts approximately 250,000 spectators.

According to Bone, the parade follows an iconic route through Rome’s historic center, beginning at Villa Borghese and winding through Piazza del Popolo, Via del Babuino, Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps), Via Condotti, and Via del Corso before concluding back at Piazza del Popolo.

Over the years, the Palm Springs High School Spirit of the Sands Marching Band has performed not only at city events, but at events throughout the world. Band members are headed to Rome for the new year.

“It’s the Romans who love this event so much,” Bone said. “They just love meeting and hearing the young musicians from the United States of America.”

Beyond performing in the parade, the Palm Springs musicians will have opportunities to participate in concert performances at historic venues throughout Rome. The students’ performances will be broadcast internationally, including on PBS stations across the United States.

Matt Ingelson, director of bands at the school, will lead the students during the weeklong cultural immersion. The trip will include visits to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and even a day trip to Pompeii.

The Palm Springs Spirit of the Sands Marching Band has previously participated in other Destination Events productions in Europe, including London’s New Year’s Day Parade, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Bone’s company has facilitated international performance opportunities for approximately 300,000 young American musicians throughout his career organizing events in major European capitals.