Meet the Grand Marshal! Williston, North Dakota Honors Floyd Miller for Band Day 2025

Get ready to tap your toes and wave your flags—Band Day is just around the corner, and Williston is ready to march to the beat of celebration! It's not just about the music (though we love that too). It’s a time to come together as a community, share in some hometown pride, and honor the people who help make this town sing—sometimes literally.

This year, the Williston Convention & Visitors Bureau and Band Day Committee are thrilled to name Floyd Calvin Miller as the 2025 Band Day Grand Marshal. The big parade kicks off at noon on Saturday, May 10, and we’re pretty sure Floyd will have the best seat in the house—okay, maybe the best ride.

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From Cornet to Community Icon: Floyd Miller’s 62-Year March with Williston’s Band Day

Floyd’s Band Day story started 62 years ago when he picked up his cornet as a fifth grader in the Prairie Pioneer rural grade school band—a scrappy, spirited blend of students from Pioneer and Round Prairie Schools. He’s come a long way since then, but one thing hasn’t changed: his passion for Band Day. He’s been a steady presence in the Williston Cowboys Drum and Bugle Corps since 1974. (That’s a lot of marching—and probably a few sore feet!)

Floyd’s favorite parts of the festivities? The NFL drumlines, the float-filled parade, and the post-parade concerts in Harmon Park. In other words: the rhythm, the color, and the community.

A Nearly Century-Old Tradition: Williston’s Band Day Brings Generations Together

Band Day is a tradition nearly a century old, with its roots going back to 1927. It’s a Mother’s Day weekend staple that brings generations together—grandparents who marched now cheer for their grandkids, and new memories are made every year.

So, hats off (or maybe bugles up?) to Floyd Calvin Miller! Congratulations to you and the whole Miller family. Thanks for marching to your own beat and making Williston’s Band Day even more memorable.

Let’s hear it for Floyd—and let’s hear those bands play!