ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — If you are going to the Loxley Christmas parade Saturday, set your clocks back a half-hour. The parade is going to start at 9:30 a.m. instead of the traditional 10 a.m.

The reason for the change is to accommodate the RHS band. They have been invited to play at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic this Saturday.

In order to get to Ladd-Peebles Stadium on time, the parade has to start early. The game is slated to kickoff at 12:30 p.m. The band is scheduled to play for the pre-game show and for 10 minutes during half-time. The game will be carried on the VERSUS cable and satellite channel. According to an Alabama High School Athletic Association press release, the channel reaches 70 million homes.

“And of course, we will be playing in the stands during the game,” said RHS Band Director Neil Sasser. He added that he had been told that the band’s performance would be broadcast before the game and at half-time

“No commercials,” said Sasser with a small smile.

Sasser says parade organizers moved the start time of the holiday parade back a half hour.

“We are very grateful to them for that,” said Sasser. “We have a lot of students from Loxley and the surrounding area, and that really means a lot. It was a big deal for them to do that for us.”

Still, getting to the stadium on time is going to be “a squeeze” for the band.

Sasser says that Classic organizers first invited the University of South Alabama to play, but that school is on break, and was not available.

“The organizers asked if they (USA) could recommend a high school band,” said Sasser. ”They mentioned us. It’s quite an honor. There are 16 high schools in Mobile.”

The band earned the honor, Sasser believes, when the 135-member band took first place in a marching competition in Theodore. The band has taken honors in other competitions.

The band will be performing their usual half-time show, based on “James Bond” movie themes.

“The kids are pretty excited,” said Sasser.

He added that the parents are fairly excited about the performance, too.

While the band has to remain officially neutral during the game, supporting both sides, Sasser has one unsurprising revelation.

“Unofficially, we’re rooting for Alabama,” he said.