It’s Halloween at Cal U!
SAB Members during Halloween Fest.
October 26, 2016
To anyone with a sense of holiday spirit, it is apparent what time of year it is. In fact, many knew what time of year it was well before it had actually arrived, seeping with eager anticipation and hopeful plans. Many others, however, were left to be swept off their feet with fallen leaves, blistering sudden cold spells, and the almost automatic arrival of the occasional whiff of gasoline.
Yes, it is autumn once again. But more importantly, one of the world’s most commercialized holidays is also close by, sauntering up to the door step like a fourteen year old in a torn flannel shirt and a plastic hockey mask, toting a pillow case behind him like a man on a mission. It’s Halloween folks, so get your proverbial doorbells raring to go because I’m going to make exoteric references to them whether you like it or not.
California, like any other American town, is definitely no stranger to the jovial holiday and the spirit it brings with it, even if it is immediately uprooted to the tones of Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé. The festive spirit has permeated around campus for several weeks, culminating with the Halloween Fest recently held in the Convocation Center on October 24th.
The event signified to many the true beginning to the festivities they will experience this coming weekend, whether it be costume parties, regular parties, small social gatherings, contests, musical performances, trips, or whatever else one may choose to participate in at this time of the year. Regardless, this free on campus event was enjoyed by many and prepared by the generous few who chose to share in the season.
The event included a number of activities which could be considered the standard fair: Bobbing for Apples, Pumpkin Painting, and Corn Hole were stationed throughout the lobby, taking up the most space and seeming to draw the most attention from party goers. The crowded tables bustled with conversation and laughter, under which lively Halloween themed music could be heard.
However several other events laid off to the side, including a game called Guess that Food, where players were blindfolded and had to guess the food in the bowl, and Poke the Pumpkin, where players poked through a paper pumpkin to see if they had won a prize. They, too, drew in fair amounts of attention, adding to the overall experience as a result.
As my first time attending the event, I have to say I definitely enjoyed the lively atmosphere and the abundance of activities. It was a fun reminder of the spirit of the season, and, admittedly, it reminded me what I should be feeling right now with such a festive time right around the corner; excitement, wonder, and a dumb humor about the whole thing.
Let’s just hope the boy in the torn flannel on the door step isn’t Michael Bublé in disguise, though. It’d be a shame if this feeling were to fade so soon.
