Student Activities holds annual Fall Fest at Hydaway
Students channeled their inner fall spirit at the annual Fall Fest Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Hydaway Outdoor Center for a night of pumpkin painting, hayrides, pie-eating contests and devouring way too much kettle corn.
The weather for such a night could not have been more perfect as the temperature allowed students to sport their best flannel shirts and cowboy boots under clear skies and a gleaming full moon.
“It’s kind of become a tradition because we do it every fall semester,” event staff member Riley McAllister said. “It’s like a giant hangout. We just want to keep the tradition going.”
Student bands Luke & Lady and Emma Jordan brought a country twang with hits like “I Run to You” by Lady A and Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel.” Local ice cream shop Outside the Cone also made an appearance, offering students a sweet treat as they enjoyed the music. Free hot apple cider was also available for students who craved a more fall friendly dessert.
The Hydaway Lawn was covered in hundreds of pumpkins, which students could take to one of the appointed pumpkin-painting stations to let their imaginations run wild. From complete barnyard animal transformations to colorful polka-dot designs, students showed off their artistic sides.
Afterward, friends posed with their pumpkin art at the photo booth, which was decorated with hay bales and an orange and white backdrop to set the mood for capturing their masterpieces.
“We really just want to cultivate community,” McAllister said. “It’s all about making memories and enjoying Liberty. We also just want our seniors to be able to have their last ‘hoorah’ with their friends before they go.”
Student Activities helped bolster the fall spirit further by hosting an Instagram giveaway where one lucky student received a Sherpa blanket, a Japanese-style matcha tea kit and a travel coffee mug.
Other activities at the event included a mechanical bull; a line as long as Hydaway’s beach formed to challenge it, but only some prevailed. Students also kicked off their shoes and socks to play volleyball, and others tried out ring toss or tested their strength on the high striker. Students could also “scribe the hide” of a cow with their names or messages.
One of the highlights of the night was the pie-eating contest, where several brave souls volunteered to try and consume as much pie as they could in 60 seconds. The winner received a $100 gift certificate for Outside the Cone.
Student Activities has a myriad of other events to look forward to this semester, most notably the student-favorite Christmas Coffeehouse event.
“The biggest event we do is probably Christmas Coffeehouse,” McAllister said. “That one is amazing, and we’re still looking for a lot more students to try out. We’ve also got McTrivia coming up, which is a fast food trivia night. This upcoming week is the Super Smash Bros. Tournament, and we’ve never done one before, so it should be a lot of fun.”
Students can keep up with upcoming Student Activities events on their Instagram.
Goforth is a news reporter for the Liberty Champion