For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, band was able to host its 7th Annual Trunk-R-Treat Monday night in the band parking lot. 

“Unfortunately last year, we didn’t even have a Trunk-R-Treat because of the COVID protocols and everything that was in place at the time,” associate director of bands Tyler Elvidge said. “We felt the event was extremely successful. The overall atmosphere and feel from the community, families and Liberty people that were there seem to be extremely positive.”

More than a 1,000 people walked from car to car on a 75 degree evening with students from various clubs, classes, teams, and organizations dressed up, handing out candy to fellow students and community members.

“I think the best thing about Trunk-R-Treat is the amount of kids that show up from the local community,” senior Sarp Sahin said. “Just the chance to interact with them and introduce them to the Liberty High School culture is amazing.”

The decision to cancel last year’s event due to COVID-19 concerns wasn’t something band leaders wanted to do.

“It’s the favorite thing that we’ve ever done,” band director Jamie Weaver said in a previous interview with Wingspan. “It’s our favorite event of the year. It’s absolutely shattering and heartbreaking to not have it and not only from our standpoint from participating in it, but the fact that you have that many people that are used to coming not getting to do it now I mean you might as well take away Christmas and Thanksgiving for us and Fourth of July like, it’s awful.”

Of course COVID-19 wiped out virtually all live, in-person events during the 2019-2020 school year, but the band bringing back Trunk-R-Treat was a hit with the community.

“We had a lot of comments towards us, extremely happy that we were back this year doing this event,” Elvidge said. “To have that opportunity to come out and interact with all the different organizations at Liberty from band to football to everything else in between.”

Not being able to host the event since 2019, there was some uncertainty by band leaders want to expect with COVID still striking on a daily basis in the district. 

“We definitely noticed there were a lot of families who chose to come wearing masks and were very respectful of anyone who wanted to have masks or additional distance from each other from the different trucks,” Elvidge said. “There wasn’t any less of a turnout from past years to this year. And having such great weather last night and such nice conditions for the event that we had just as great of a turnout as years prior to COVID.”

Playing music is what the band is all about, but for senior Kirthi Gummadi, handing out candy at Trunk-R-Treat is at the top of her list.

“Of the things that band does, Trunk R Treat is probably my favorite,” she said. “It’s always fun to do something that the general public enjoys, which is why a lot of us were upset when we didn’t get to do it last year because of COVID. But I’m glad that everybody is back in person and we get to do things in person as a full band for my senior year.”

There may not be a trophy to win like there is at band competitions, but Trunk-R-Treat is a hit with its target audience.

“I felt excited because I always like going Trunk-R-Treating at my dad’s school,” 10-year-old Piper Higgins said. “I like meeting his students, they’re always really nice, and it gives me an extra chance to get candy.”