Cadillac High School Honors KISS With 50 Year Anniversary Drone Show

Fifty years ago, the rock band KISS made a surprise appearance at Cadillac High School in Cadillac to play a concert at the school's Homecoming. The band had learned that the football team turned its season around after it started listening to their music pre-game, going on a 7-game win streak. The band loved the story and decided to give the school the most rock ' n ' roll Homecoming ever.

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A band at the height of its game took the time to make a small town's night, and they have never forgotten it. The story of KISS's visit made nationwide news. The school continues to celebrate the anniversary of the concert, with this year marking the 50th anniversary, and the school went all out with an incredible drone light show.

Cadillac's 50th Kiss Anniversary

Since August, the city of Cadillac has been celebrating the greatest moment in KISStory. The celebration included a self-guided 2.5-mile walking tour of the stops the band made while in town, a "Cadillac KISS50 Rockumentary" featuring a retelling of the day with footage from the concert that rocked the school gym, an exhibit at the Wexford Historical Society, a charity auction, and more. Even the official KISS website got in on the celebration with exclusive photos and more.

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The 40th anniversary was memorialized with the unveiling of an 8-foot, 8,000-pound commemorative monument; therefore, the 50th anniversary celebration had to really knock it out of the park. I'd say they succeeded. Last weekend, a stunning drone show after the football game featured references to the KISS weekend as well as to the band itself.

While the band was known for its use of pyrotechnics, this non-explosive show was plenty impressive on its own. It featured imagery referencing both the school, the band, and the visit to the school. Drone shows like this have become a popular alternative to fireworks, as they can provide maneuvers and images that fireworks can't. Plus, they are more eco-friendly.

This single weekend visit 50 years ago has continued to resonate with this community and is worth visiting.