Johnston County high school band rings in 2024 in London

"I have never seen so many people in my life," band director Olivia Dovespell told WRAL News.

"I attended the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade several years ago as a spectator, and this does not – it doesn't hold a candle to it. There were people everywhere."

Dovespell said it took about 18 months of fundraising to raise more than half a million dollars to fund the trip.

"Once you include uniforms and flags and equipment and odds and ends, there was about $520,000 our parents, families and students and community helped us raise. Our families, families from afar, families near, donations, sponsorships, all kinds of wonderful things came together to make this trip happen for our students."

Corinth Holders is the first band from Johnston County, North Carolina, to make an international appearance in the parade. Seventy students, ranging in age from 7th through 12th grade, and 135 people made the trip. The contingent spent five days in London.

Dovespell said, "We toured Windsor Castle. We saw where the Queen has been laid to rest now. We've been to Westminster Abbey, we've been on bus tours. Yesterday morning, we went on a river cruise of the Thames. Today, we marched in the London New Year's Day Parade, and it's been an incredible journey."

The band is one of two North Carolina schools performing in this year's parade. The Lake Norman High School Wildcat Band of Mooresville also marched in the parade. It was Lake Norman's second time performing in parade, as they previously traveled across the pond for the event in 2009.

The parade was live streamed at 7 a.m.