This weekend is chock full of America’s past times. It’s going to be a busy and meaningful one for a marching band out of central New York.

“We're probably the only band in the state that does a competitive fall program, then we also have a parade season,” said Baldwinsville band director Casey Vanderstouw.

That means it’s far more than just the standard Thanksgiving, Memorial Day and handful of other local events. The Marching Bees of B’Ville go big.

“So it connects to a bigger audience and it gives us a lot of pride to represent Baldwinsville really everywhere,” Vanderstouw said.

Wrapping up a handful of events since the school year has ended, this weekend they’ll be marching in the nation’s longest running Fourth of July parade in Glenside, Pennsylvania after lending their talents to parade in Philadelphia. At the end of the month, it’s back to the Empire State and on to the Baseball Hall of Fame parade in Cooperstown.

“It doesn't get any more patriotic than that,” Vanderstouw said.

At the helm on the student side of things is incoming senior Katrina McCartney.

“I actually went to a winter drumline show a couple of years ago and I honestly didn't know I was joining marching band,” McCartney said. “I thought I was joining drum line. But the first rehearsal was really cool. I didn't even know how to play an instrument. And it just made me feel like home.”

For the season she’s conducting, not leading the flute section like she has after she learned to play. Leading into this summer season, she knows either would be long hours and hard work.

“We're getting ready to go to Philly and it's just we've been preparing for a long time we've been doing this for a while and we've really been working hard for it,” McCartney said.

Many of the things you take away from being part of a unit — dedication, discipline, leadership - it all comes together for this.

“It's pretty stressful at times, but it's like you can't really let that affect you,” she added. “You just got to keep going and that's kind of like a skill that you pick up the more you're here.”

She’ll certainly enjoy this long weekend on the move like her classmates will continue to.

“It makes me really like hopeful for the next few years,” McCartney remarked. “I'm so proud of them, and I'm proud of the lessons that they learned honestly that inspires all of us to keep going,” added Vanderstouw.