There’s a chill in the air, leaves are beginning to fall and spooky decorations dawn many doorways, this all points to one thing- Halloween is almost here!
Each year President Gaertner and his wife, Nancy, host the President’s Fall Festival to give children of faculty and students an alternative and safe way to celebrate Halloween.
“We will have plenty of games which are mostly geared towards children,” Cameron Clay, Graduate Assistant for Special Events for the Office of the President, said.
“It’s a typical Halloween carnival. We will have the Duck Pond game, a bounce house, a hay ride, a football toss and all kinds of food. We will be doing cookie and moon pie decorating also.”
Children are encouraged to come dressed up in their Halloween costumes because there will be a costume parade for them to take part in.
President Gaertner and his wife, Nancy, started this festival about seven years ago.
“It was actually President Gaertner’s wife’s idea to bring this carnival to campus,” Clay said. “She was a teacher before they came to Huntsville and she missed those kind of family friendly activities and wanted to bring them to SHSU.”
The carnival is held in order to boost the moral on campus, giving an alternative place for children to go trick-or-treating.
“It’s a safe alternative way to celebrate the holiday rather than going door-to-door.”
It is also a time for President Gaertner to mix and mingle with the faculty, staff and students and provides an opportunity for student organizations to volunteer.
No RSVP is needed and everything is completely free to guests.
The Fall Festival will be held on Thursday, Oct. 29 from 5:30-7:30 at Gibbs Ranch.
In the event of rain, the carnival will be cancelled and a notice will be placed on the Today @ Sam website by 1:00 p.m. on Oct. 29.