The U-High band performed for the youngest students at the Laboratory Schools at Earl Shapiro Hall for the annual Halloween parade on Oct. 28, reigniting a Lab tradition that has been on hold since 2019 due to pandemic restrictions. 

According to band director Ryan Hudec, students played the songs “Skins and Bones” and “Halloween’s Coming,” while students from Nursery 3 through second grade paraded around the school in their costumes. Four small groups played music in four corners of ESH, so the children could hear the music along the entirety of their path.

Ninth grader Adam Tapper played the bass guitar at the parade. Adam said it felt rewarding that the band’s music could make the experience more fun for the young students, especially since this is the first time the parade is taking place since the pandemic started.

“It felt very good to play for all of the kids because they were all walking around, and you could see all of their costumes, and you could see them smiling, laughing and kind of dancing with the music,” Adam said. “It is sad that they couldn’t have this during COVID, but I think we are all just happy to be able to do it again.”

According to Mr. Hudec, not only did the children have a good time, but the high school musicians did, too. 

“I love watching our U-High students have fun. You can’t help but be happy when you see all the ESH students in costume with their families cheering them on,” Mr. Hudec said.

Ninth grader Naomi Benton, who played the clarinet at the parade, enjoyed the parade because of the nostalgia it gave her.

 Naomi said, “It was like a throwback, because I was going to a school I grew up in as a younger kid, and I remember the parades from when I went there.”