For K-State football fans, kickoff doesn’t always start on Saturdays at Bill Snyder Family Stadium; it begins 12 hours earlier in Aggieville, driven by the soundtrack of the K-State Little Apple Pub Crawl Band.

The Pub Crawl Band is composed of members of the K-State Marching Band. Throughout the past 27 years, the band has spent Friday nights before home games turning 34 of Manhattan’s favorite bars, restaurants and stores into pep rallies, where instruments, fight songs and generations of Wildcat traditions collide. Stepping into his first year as director of bands and director of athletic bands, Alex Wimmer aims to carry forward former director Frank Tracz’s habit of fostering band spirit. 

Wimmer said he remembers stories told about the beginnings of Pub Crawl. 

“There was a week during the 1999 season where things took a temporary slide due to injuries and a few stinging losses,” Wimmer said. “The community, students and band were feeling down, and the excitement wasn’t what it usually was.”

Wimmer said that at the end of marching band rehearsal on a Friday night, Dr. Tracz knew he needed to motivate the students for the upcoming football game on Saturday.

“[Tracz said] … ‘If I were in college again, I would gather some friends, and without telling the directors or asking permission, get everyone to grab their instruments and head to Aggieville to play the Fight Song in the middle of the street.’”

Tracz’s students did just that, marching to Aggieville right after rehearsal.

“As he headed up to his office, he also heard sirens, as traffic had backed up on Anderson Avenue due to the commotion,” Wimmer said. “Soon after, he received an office visit from a police officer, half-heartedly admonishing him for urging the band to pull this stunt. [Tracz] said … ‘I didn’t know what he was talking about,’ and he [the officer] just laughed and said, ‘let’s just talk about it in advance next time.’”

Both fans and Aggieville patrons and business owners loved the surprise performances. Throughout the season, dozens of businesses asked for the band to come back and play. What started as a spontaneous boost in morale ended up being a beloved tradition that has spanned decades, allowing the Manhattan community to come together every Friday night. 

“My favorite part is seeing the smiles and emotions on people’s faces when the band runs in yelling and playing the fight song and Wabash,” Wimmer said. “There are so many things in our world that push people apart, but something as simple as our school songs brings people together and back in time, to a simpler time in their lives. Seeing people impacted this way by music is inspiring; [it] is the reason why we do what we do, and why we will continue to do it.”

With the excitement of Wimmer’s rookie year as head band director, members of the Pride of Wildcat Land are eager for the new atmosphere surrounding Pub Crawl Band. Olivia Franco, fifth-year in music education with an instrument emphasis, has stepped into the role as one of three assistant drum majors. 

“I was really lucky to be a sub for Pub Crawl in 2023, then a full-time member in 2024,” Franco said. “I am excited to be back in action this year. The energy is definitely a huge factor into what makes Pub Crawl so exciting. Not only from the students in Pub Crawl, but the community that shows up to each destination.”

This year, Franco gets to conduct members through fan-favorite songs instead of playing them on her instrument. 

“My favorite part of Pub Crawl is interacting with the fans, especially when they aren’t expecting us to be there,” she said. “When I played sousaphone, I loved to grab a seat at their table and immerse them with our school spirit. It really makes my day when participants that are shy at first get a little loose and participate with us. When it comes down to it, we are just a big group of band kids having some ‘good college fun,’ as former Director of Bands Dr. Tracz loved to say.” 

As she wraps up her time in the K-State Marching Band, Franco said she is trying to soak up as many memories and experiences as possible. 

“I am looking forward to seeing young musicians that love watching the marching band,” Franco said. “It fills my heart when I see kids who want to grow up to be in the band or our Classy Cat team. I see myself in them. Everything that I am able to do now is because someone told my younger self that I could do it. Shout-out to all the young girls in band; you are the future of music.” 

That passion for tradition and school spirit doesn’t disappear as students grow; it simply broadens from the stadium bleachers to the downtown streets. For Max Nelson, sophomore in secondary education in environmental science, Pub Crawl has expanded his view of the band as a whole, allowing him to feel more connected to his peers and the K-State community. 

“It’s hard to pick one part that stands out because it’s all a blast,” Nelson said. “My favorite part is probably when everyone runs into wherever we are, screaming our heads off and seeing everyone’s reactions.” 

Pub Crawl is not just about the venue or itinerary; it’s about the raw, unscripted energy that keeps K-State traditions alive to this day. Long after the crowds disappear and the noise settles, that lingering adrenaline fuels the band and football fans as they gear up for kickoff the very next day.