RILEY STRAW
Lampoon Editor
Though the event formerly known as “FredFest” has been cancelled, campus officials seek to incorporate the student body into the campus community through other fun activities. This year, for the first time, Fredonia presents “DredFest,” an on-campus substitute for Halloween.
“We see a lot of negative feedback from the village of Fredonia about the way our students like to celebrate Halloween,” said Holly Day, chair of the Campus Activity Restoration Enhancement Society. “So we’re offering a fun alternative to get people into a safer Halloween spirit.
“Activities offered will include baking baked goods, non-alcoholic wine and cheese tastings, drinking water and also, open mic night,” she continued.
The day-long event will also feature a special guest host: Vampire Weekdays.
“There were a lot of headlining options,” said Day. “We have great on-campus entertainment groups, but we decided to bring a group from out of state. I think they really fit the theme of what we’re trying to go for.”
On their website, Vampire Weekdays is a post-punk alternative techno cover band of Vampire Weekend.
The committee responsible for DredFest, the festivity that will replace all Halloween activities on campus, is ecstatic about the positive change the event will bring to the Fredonia.
“We see too many people celebrating Halloween who — I don’t know if they know what it’s about,” said Simon Ame, CARES vice president. “It started because of witches, and if more people knew that, I don’t think they’d celebrate it.”
Many students say that Halloween has been a tradition to them since they’ve been in Fredonia, but these concerns were eased by an event informing the public about the dangers of Halloween.
“I used to love Halloween last year, but I think I’m really going to enjoy the new campus events that are going to come from this,” Ally Wein, a sophomore at Fredonia, said. “It’s been awhile since I’ve bobbed for apples in actual water.”
“I’ll probably do what I’ll always do on Halloween,” said senior English major Lisa Wearantly. “Drink in my house and not come to school unless I have to.”
Campus officials said that they are excited to see how this enhances our reputation as a community. They have faith that the school’s negative attention will be resolved due to the charitable work of Fredonia student leaders.
Last year, it was said that of the $15,000 of damages caused by the event formerly known as “Halloween,” 20 jobs were created and the taxes from the extra revenue at The Paper Factory helped pay their wages.