This past Sunday, October 13, Choate held its annual Harvest Fest on Memorial Field from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Of the 15 clubs that volunteered to host stations, three hosted activities, including tie-dye, henna tattoos, and face painting, while the other 12 provided food, ranging from traditional fall beverages such as apple cider to Jamaican beef patties and dumplings. Three inflatables were also provided by Sound Spectrum Entertainment.
According to Ms. Colleen Kazar, Assistant Director of Student Activities, preparation began early fall term, when Director of Student Activities Ms. Alex Long reached out to Sound Spectrum, an entertainment agency in Wallingford, and asked for Choate’s most active clubs to host stations. Tech Crew and members of the Committee of Student Activities (COSA) helped with setup as well as ticket sales, and SAGE Dining Services provided the food.
In order to participate in activities or buy food, guests bought tickets to spend at the booths, which cost fifty cents each. Ms. Kazar estimated that close to 200 people, including students, faculty, and faculty children, attended the event.
Harvest Fest was advertised through the new Choate student activities Instagram account, which Ms. Kazar felt was fairly effective in bringing people to enjoy time together for the festival. Though many people attended the event, Ms. Kazar wished more clubs had hosted stations.
“I would love to see more clubs participate in the future,” she said. “If we had more club participation, we could certainly offer more foods or activities. I think it would have been fun to see something like pumpkin painting or bobbing for apples — a little more fall-themed.”
Overall, though, she said that her first Harvest Fest as Assistant Director of Student Activities was a great success. The preparation went well, and the event ran smoothly. Hopefully, next year, the event will be just as successful, if not more, with the participation of more student-run organizations.
