Parent preview night after band camp this year was even more special than usual because the same event was canceled last year because of the pandemic.

Competition was limited last year, too. So band director Butch Owens was happy to announce to the band’s boosters Friday night that, “Hopefully, if everything goes well, we’re back to competition again this year.”

Rather than last year’s Bon Jovi show, this year’s show, “Rain,” is more traditional.

Owens admitted he likes “Rain” so much that have been a couple of times that he had tears in his eyes – and it wasn’t “because the clarinets played so bad.”

In discussing the success of band camp, Owens told parents in the stands that, “Your kids are awesome. We ask them to do some ridiculous things eight hours a day in the heat – while playing well. And they get excited to do it for some reason.

“They’ve far exceeded what I thought they could do.”

Doug Garrison, president of the Webb City Cardinal Pride Band Boosters, thanked booster parents who helped put on the camp by preparing meals and measuring students for uniforms. And he asked for volunteers to help throughout the band season.

The boosters meet on the first Monday of the month, but because of the conflict with Labor Day, the next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. in the band room on Monday, Sept. 13.

Raising funds for the Disney trip this year will require a lot of work. Mums will go on sale the first week of school. T-shirts are available to purchase now.

For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page.

The highlight of the evening was the tradition of having band members’ parents try to follow them for a portion of the show.