Palm Beach County, as one might expect, was well-represented at Monday’s Presidential inauguration parade.
Stealing the show to loud applause from the onlookers gathered at the Capital One Arena in Washington was the Boca Raton-based Florida Firefighters & Police Pipes and Drums, which sent 69 participants to the ceremony. A booming voice introduced the group over the arena’s public address system as President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance looked on. The local band performed after the high school band from Vance’s hometown of Middletown, OH performed.
The Florida Firefighters and Police Pipes and Drums previously performed at Trump’s Jan. 2017 inauguration. This year, the parade portion of the ceremony was moved inside the Capital One Arena in Washington due to frigid temperatures and a brisk wind, forcing organizers to cut the number of participants. The Pipes and Drums, quite literally, “made the cut,” being one of the groups invited to the new venue. The flawless performance was televised worldwide, but one contingent in the band from Lake Buena Vista had their own misadventure before things turned around – a flat tire on the way through a security checkpoint.
The band rallied, and performed in front of a worldwide audience.
Prior to the Boca Raton-based band’s performance, the Palm Beach Police and Fire Honor Guard, made up of officers and firefighters from the city of Palm Beach – Trump’s hometown – also performed. The city honor guard also brought bagpipes and drums to the ceremony, with a dozen members participating.