Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s annual Christmas concert will not be held at the auditorium and instead will be held at the Saratoga Fire Station along with the Lighted Christmas Parade on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m.

“We are in compliance with COVID, we will be doing the Christmas parade, and a concert at the fire hall this year with compliance with Siren Santa so this is a way for us to still be able to do a concert because of COVID we can’t do it in the auditorium or in an inside place due to the aerosol so we don’t want to have anybody exposed if we had an asymptomatic student in an inclosed area this way we can be outside and we can stay compliant,” Band Director Michael Tucker said.

Although COVID-19 has affected many things this year, everyone is still confident that Christmas celebrations can still be held in a safe and fun manner.

“We have bell covers that are supposed to help with the possible spread of bacteria, I’m not sure if they do work but hopefully they will,” saxophone player Jacoby Holder said.

A lot about this year has definitely not been normal along with many different things, including the band.

“Oh yeah I think we have lost, there are things we have had to accommodate, there were the 2 weeks of virtual we had quarantines, and anytime you go through a loss of time like that you are gonna feel the effects. Can we overcome these things? I haven’t changed my expectations so far as we are still gonna be effective. I don’t accept us dropping our expectations but have we lost? Yeah everybody has it’s not just here, it’s not just West Hardin it’s everybody. And we are all having to learn how to overcome that,” Tucker said.

Along with Tucker, the entire Band agrees that COVID-19 has definitely restricted them in both practice and performance.

“I think it has affected us, we haven’t had as much time to practice as we normally would without COVID so we are not as good, but we are still pretty good,” saxophone player Abbie Lamberth said.

As far as the risks go for holding this parade and concert go, many are aware but still determined to celebrate Christmas in any way they can.

“I think it is a real risk. That’s not my place to say as the person in charge of taking care of students I always air on the side of caution and so when there are decisions made higher than me then it’s my responsibility to be compliant to those things whether I agree with them or not,” Tucker said.