Photo by Matt Hembree
By Colton Williams
Executive Staff
The weekend of October 12 through 15, the University organized a Fall Festival complete with trips to a pumpkin patch, hikes and swims, feminist comedy night, bingo and trivia, movies at the SUT, concerts, and, of course, baby goats on the quad.
In a video message sent to all students, Vice-Chancellor John McCardell said, “As we consider together how we introduce our newest students to our Greek community, many people have been hard at work to create some enhanced campus programming. This programming aims to help us all realize the richness and diversity of wholesome activities available to us right here on the domain. A richness and a diversity that we are sometimes unable to fully appreciate in the hustle and bustle of life at Sewanee.”
Students seemed to enjoy the Fall Festival. Molly Hoeffler (C’ 21), said she thought it “was a great idea and I loved the activities they planned. I went to the pumpkin and goat thing in the quad and the volleyball game and the concert and feminist comedy night. I loved it and had a ton of fun.”
Elizabeth Parrish (C’ 19), “Loved how the fall festival gave Sewanee students something fun to do and something new to try. They brought the community together for a great weekend.”
McCardell urged students to pledge not to drink during the entirety of the Fall Festival weekend. “I ask students, faculty, and staff to join me in participating in whatever way you think most appropriate in this festival, but including a pledge not to consume alcohol during this weekend, from Thursday October 12 hrough Sunday October 15,” he said. “Together we can reconsider the role alcohol plays in our common life and we can show everyone around us how much fun one can have right here on the domain on any given weekend.”
However, some students were skeptical of the idea. Callan Ghareeb (C’20) remarked that the event was “not exactly as advertised. The main event from 12-4 was pumpkins, puppies, and goats. There were no puppies and the pumpkins and goats were gone by 2:30. Most of the events included on the fall festival itinerary were things already scheduled that the university simply asked to be sober. The one aforementioned event that the university hosted was just one thing, not really a full festival.”