On Sept. 30, Hamilton College held its annual Fall Fest and Off the Hill Challenge.
Starting with scavenger hunt registration on the Village Green, students were sent all over downtown Clinton to restaurants and stores, where they chatted with local business owners, sampled treats like chocolate, dried fruits, ice cream, and cheese, and picked up a free shirt, as well as plants, stickers, and coupons.
Many shop owners had much to say about the Fall Fest, with Dawn of Dawn Marie’s Treasures saying, “We’ve watched stores come and go, and different events happen, but we love the Fall Fest, it brings you kids down here.”
Dawn’s husband, Alan, shared these sentiments. When asked if he thought the event brought Hamilton College and the town of Clinton together, he stated, “I think it does. I think it’s great to have you folks come down here to see what’s out here, and the eclectic mix of what’s in this store and stores along the strip. We have a variety of stores, restaurants, tasty treats, and good food.”
Hamilton College did its best to highlight these stores, sending its students to places like Tom’s Natural Foods, where platters of cheese and dried mangos were offered, as well as ice cream samples from Sundaes in Clinton. Groups of friends completing the scavenger hunt together were seen walking around with their complimentary succulents from The Clinton Florist and a hand-painted Hamilton College card from the Artisans of Clinton.
Booths run by Hamilton students also offered cookie decorating, coloring, and frame making. After the end of the hunt, students and townspeople alike gathered under the tent to enjoy complimentary apple cider, donuts, cookies, chili, and chowder, as well as performances by Hamilton’s a capella groups, including Special K and Duelly Noted.
The event has really grown in the past few years, as both business owners and students alike can attest. Bobbie Paravati of Ali-Linz Home and Accessories attributed the “much better attendance” to a recent change in the event date from Sunday to Saturday, with more stores being open and allowing “people to just come in and shop.” Linda McHarris of Artisans’ Corner of Clinton checked her watch and said, “It’s not even 2:00 yet, and already 84 people have passed through the store.”
Jerad McMickle ’19, who has experienced the event before, stated that this year’s Fall Fest was “a lot more built up. I went two years ago and it was just a dude under the pagoda giving out stickers and a handout.”
“It’s really cool to see how it’s been more embraced by the community,” Hannah Fink ’19 agreed, praising Hamilton’s efforts in putting “so much time and energy into making this a legitimate event. It’s clearly developed into something more than just handing out sticker; there’s a clear love here and it’s awesome to see.”
This year’s Fall Fest and Off the Hill Challenge continued fostering the relationship between Hamilton College and the town of Clinton, with both parties hailing the event as another success.
McHarris stated, “The Fall Fest is wonderful. We love that Hamilton puts it on for our community, and it’s nice that we combine the Fall Fest with the Off the Hill Challenge and make it a bigger event.” Fink furthered the connection between Hamilton students and their new home, stating, “I think that oftentimes we like to think of ourselves as a little bubble, but when we can come into town and bond with shop owners and the community of Clinton, it shows a great value for our history and where we come from.”
If you did not get the chance to make your way down the Hill to enjoy the Fall Fest and Off the Hill Challenge this year, Give yourself the chance to explore Clinton and all it has to offer!
