By Darshini Dayanidhi
This year’s Taste of East at Williamsville East High School was missing something big: the bonfire. Usually the heart of the event, the fire couldn’t happen this fall because of a temporary statewide burning ban put in place by Governor Kathy Hochul. The ban, meant to prevent wildfires during unusually dry conditions, forced the school to skip one of its most beloved traditions.
“I was volunteering to run booths for the East Side News and Girl Up club, and it got super cold by the end of both my shifts. I felt like I had pneumonia,” said senior Manha Masood. “It was really sad because the bonfire is such a wonderful annual tradition, and it sucked to go without it. This is my senior year, so it felt like I was robbed out of an experience.”
Even without the fire, the night still carried that familiar energy. Students crowded around tables piled with food from local vendors, ran club booths, and laughed with friends under the chilly sky. Madame Roberts, the French teacher, said, “I was wonderfully surprised by how many people stayed for as long as they did even without the bonfire.”
Still, many admitted the event felt a little incomplete. Nailah Compagnoni, a junior, said, “Taste of East this year was really fun, but I felt like it was missing something, it definitely would’ve been better if the bonfire was happening.” Senior Alicia Zemrack added, “The freezing cold dimmed the mood a bit, but it was still fun. However, I had to leave early because I couldn’t feel my hands anymore.”
Even if the night ended with shivering hands instead of the glow of a fire, the community spirit didn’t fade. Taste of East still brought everyone together. Just this time, they had to find warmth in each other’s company instead of the bonfire.