Argo High School’s Walk the Halls night draws over 1,000 for school year kickoff

Argo Community High School moved up its annual Walk the Halls night to beat the rain Friday, August 14, welcoming more than 1,000 students and families to tour the building, explore clubs and sports, and grab free food before the 2026-2027 school year begins.

The event, originally scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., started at 6 p.m. as rain approached. The walkway to Memorial Stadium was lined with activity tables, games, and giveaways. The football field held bounce houses, and the concession stand served free hot dogs, chips, and drinks.

Superintendent Brandon Cotter said the event, which started about four or five years ago, has become a signature way to start the year.

“It’s a great way to celebrate and kick off the year,” Cotter said. “This is one of the events where we get a lot of staff that bring their kids and family here and interact with the Argo community and the kids that are coming here. It’s just a great way to get to know everyone and ease into the school year.”

Cotter estimated the turnout matched previous years based on the crowd midway through the evening. “We’re about halfway through and I would say that this looks similar to the last few years that we’ve had it and had more than one thousand people each time,” he said. “We’ll definitely be able to tell when we check the hot dog count at the end of the day.”

On Saturday, Administrative Secretary Anna Willis, who plays a big part in organizing the event, confirmed that just over 1,000 hot dogs were given away.