A longstanding tradition of over five decades on Bainbridge Island will be modified this year due to COVID-19 as the fire department’s annual Holiday Music Truck Tour forges on to thank the community during a tough year for so many.

Unlike previous years, it will not stop or pass out candy canes to keep everyone safe.

The tour starts Dec. 12 and will run through Christmas Eve. Each day the festive truck will ride through a different area of the island to ensure everyone gets a chance to witness the annual occasion. To help community members know when the truck is about to arrive, BIFD has incorporated a GPS tracker on its website.

“When it came to this year with COVID, we said this is something we can do safely for the community as well as for the members who drive the truck,” fire chief Hank Teran said. “We felt that with some changes…we can still go out and do this iconic type of event. It’s important for the island to have that.”

Typically, the event would have the truck stop in neighborhoods and allow the community to come together.

“Because of COVID and trying to make sure that all of us are safe, we’re not going to stop,” Teran said. “We’ll just be driving through the neighborhoods and playing holiday music.”

Teran added the department will not be handing out candy canes and other holiday items, as well as not accepting gifts from community members, which is a common gesture for the event.

Having witnessed the event for 13 years, Teran compared the event to the fire department’s annual pancake breakfast.

“Those are two of the (biggest) community events,” he said. “It’s part of what makes the island unique, and it’s a way for the fire department to thank the community by outfitting the truck every year.”

For details about the Holiday Music Truck Tour, visit bifd.org.