Jeff Groth, the manager of The Craft Grille, will head west this holiday break to perform in one of America’s premiere parades in California.
Jeff Groth has a very busy holiday break planned.
The manager of The Craft Grille, who formerly worked as a junior high school band director in Macomb County for 30 years, plans to travel to the west coast to perform in one of America’s premiere events: the Tournament of Roses Parade.
A member of the Band Directors Marching Band, a group of hundreds of current and former school band directors, Groth will don a red suitcoat and perform several songs with his alto saxophone over the five-and-a-half-mile parade route in Pasadena, California this New Year’s Day.
“I’ve looked forward to this one all year. It’s an honor,” Groth said. “I know there’s going to be a lot of new directors.”
A longtime musician, Groth discovered the Band Directors Marching Band several years ago. After auditioning, he was accepted and performed with the band at several other events, including the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rose Parade in 2022.
After spending his years teaching music, Groth retired and sought to pursue his other passion: beer. A longtime homebrewer, Groth discovered the Brewing and Distillation Technology program at Schoolcraft College and enrolled. After earning a certificate, he worked to help develop the brewing program at Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio.
After spending several years at Lourdes, Groth got the opportunity to return to Michigan and help run The Craft Grille, the new brewpub that opened as a part of the massive $11 million renovation to the Vistatech Center that was completed in 2023. The restaurant — open five days a week serving pub fair and beer brewed by Schoolcraft College students — has become a place where Groth has gotten to know many of the regulars.
He has also been able to harness his musical passion at Schoolcraft as well: Groth routinely performs with the College’s Jazz Band throughout the year.
Groth said he and his fellow bandmates – which number more than 300 – will march the whole parade route playing a variety of marching music. They’ll also travel with a float entitled “Banding Together,” which salutes all those involved to make music happen for educational communities.
“We want to encourage students to participate in band while getting involved elsewhere,” Groth said. “You can be in band and do other things.”
The Rose Parade is available to watch beginning at 11 a.m. Jan. 1.
Groth said he’s extremely fortunate to be able to share his passions with his customers at The Craft Grille, many of whom will be looking for him playing his alto sax on New Year’s Day.
“I have the best job of talking about beer and music,” Groth said. “It’s just great to be a band kid again.”
Article photo: Jeff Groth, manager of The Craft Grille, takes a break from serving guests to showcase his Band Directors Marching Band uniform and alto saxophone. Groth will be one of more than 300 performers marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade this Jan. 1.