The City School District of Albany Marching Falcons will represent our city and state this June in France at a special ceremony remembering the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of World War II.

The Marching Falcons continue their efforts to raise money to support the trip. This Tuesday, they will hold a fundraiser at the 17 New Scotland Ave. Chipotle restaurant between 5 and 9 p.m. You can dine in or take out, and a portion of the proceeds will support the trip. Make sure you mention the Marching Falcons when you order!

If you’d prefer to cook at home Tuesday, you can still donate through the Albany Fund for Education. The Marching Falcons also will hold a fundraiser Feb. 29 at Blaze Pizza in Stuyvesant Plaza from 5-8 p.m. and again, proceeds will support the France trip.

Under the direction of marching band director Bryan Cady, the Marching Falcons are scheduled to be one of only two bands from around the world to perform on Omaha Beach in Normandy on June 6. The performance will be part of France’s events marking the 80th anniversary of the historic battle that changed the course of World War II in Europe.

The Marching Falcons also participated in the 75th anniversary D-Day events in 2019 (they were scheduled to perform for the 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii in 2021, but that trip was canceled due to the pandemic).

In addition to several local performances annually, the district's marching band also has performed at St. Patrick's Day parades in Dublin, Ireland and New York City, and at the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C.

You can learn more about the upcoming France trip, future fundraisers and the Albany Marching Falcons when you visit their crowdfunding site https://ddayband.com.