Kingdom Day Parade: Brooklyn-based Blue Angels Drumline excited for West Coast debut

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The 38th annual Kingdom Day Parade, honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be held Monday in Los Angeles.

One drumline group from New York is excited about the opportunity to fly out here and perform - many of them seeing the West Coast for the first time.

The youth members of the Brooklyn-based Blue Angels Drumline and Blue Royalty Dance Team have been practicing hard for their big moment.

But they're also excited for the opportunity to visit Los Angeles - maybe spot some celebrities and try some In-N-Out burgers and Roscoe's chicken and waffles.

"I heard there were palm trees," said drumline member Nadine Calixte. "Wanna see the Hollywood sign, things like that. The stars."

The group has also been raising funds to help pay for the coast-to-coast trip. Parade organizers have pitched in $2,000 to help pay for their transportation in Los Angeles.

The group is still looking for donations and they accept payment through Venmo, Cashapp and other platforms. To contact them, go to the Blue Angels Drumline website here.

The parade down Martin Luther King and Crenshaw boulevards is the nation's largest and longest-running Kingdom Day celebration. Every year, thousands of people line the parade route to see marching bands, colorful floats, dramatic drumlines, dancers and a few surprises too.

The Kingdom Day Parade will be covered live on ABC7 and on our streaming platforms on Monday, Jan. 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.