BROOMFIELD, Colo. -- As the daylight faded Wednesday students in the Legacy High School Lightning Marching Band practiced steps they've taken a thousand times before.

Band members marched and twirled around the school's running track and in the parking lot.

They are ready for their moment of fame during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York.

"It's something a lot of them have seen on TV since they were little kids and now they actually get to participate in it," said band director Clay Stansberry.

The band's journey began in April 2010. The associate creative director of the parade made a surprise announcement to an auditorium of band members.

"We're only the second band in Colorado to ever get to go," said Stansberry. "This is just the culmination of the kids' hard work and dedication, parent support and administrative support."

The students will march in front of over 3 million people on the parade route and millions more on television.

"We're practicing 3 to 4 times a week. We've worked every single Saturday since August," said Stansberry.

The band and dozens of parents leave Colorado for New York on Sunday morning.

After a few days of sightseeing comes the big day.

"We have to march a 2.6 mile parade route. And at the end of that we actually have to do a performance," said Stansberry.

The school is no stranger to being in the spotlight, they rang in 2010 by performing in London's New Year's Day Parade.