Honors College Celebrates Fall with Music, Crafts, and Community at Fifth Annual Fall Festival

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With October officially in full swing, and colder temperatures finally beginning to settle in, the Honors College welcomed the change of season with its Fifth Fall Festival, held this past Saturday at the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC) concourse.

An Afternoon of Music and Festive Treats

The event ran throughout the afternoon, but those who arrived at the start were treated to exciting musical performances by two invited UMass a cappella acts: the all-male group The Doo Wop Shop and the co-ed group Wicked Pitch. With setlists ranging from covers of old classics to mashups of more recent favorites, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

“We love performing at this event!” said Michael Filip, musical director and senior member of The Doo Wop Shop, after the group wrapped up their first song. “We always have so much fun here.”

The Doo Wop Shop was one of the acts providing music; Photo: Kimberly Manyanga

In addition to the live music, the event provided attendees with plenty of sweet treats to snack on while listening. With apple cider donuts, candy apples, buttered popcorn, decorated cookies, and plenty of hot cider to go around, the taste of fall was available to anyone who gave them a try.

Though the musical performances eventually came to an end, the festival continued, and the invited DJ kept things lively even after the groups had left the stage.

Fall Crafts and Outdoor Fun

The second half of the event focused mainly on festive crafts for attendees to try, such as pumpkin painting and creating custom fall-themed garlands. Acrylic paints and pens allowed participants to get as precise with their designs as they liked, and the host of colorful beads and wooden ornaments, in varying shapes and sizes, ensured that no two decorations looked exactly alike.

Students worked on fall crafts like pumpkin painting, Photo: Kimberly Manyanga

The event also featured a few outdoor games to enjoy, scattered throughout the concourse. People were free to start up a round of bean bag toss, ladder golf, or spikeball, providing plenty of variety in activities.

Relieving Stress and Fostering Community

With midterm season fast approaching and many students already knee-deep in it, the timing of the event helped relieve some of their rapidly growing stress and allowed them to enjoy seasonal experiences they might not have sought out otherwise.

“I was like— I’m so excited for the fall! I would love to join in some fall festivities,” said Kristen, a sophomore English major. “I feel like it’s very stress-relieving; I’m doing something creative, outside, with friends, listening to some fun music…it’s such a good study break!”

Connection and community can be easy to neglect amidst the hustle of academic life, but the Honors College strives to make them a bit easier for students to access. According to students, these efforts have not gone unnoticed.

“I sent the flyer to my roommate and was like, ‘We need to go to this, actually,’ because we went to Latinx Heritage event and really enjoyed that— so we were excited for this one,” said Zoë, a junior Psychology major. 

The Honors College will still be hosting many other functions throughout the semester, so be sure to stop by!