Though the weather was brisk on Saturday, Oct. 23, Hamilton students enthusiastically threw themselves into the celebrations of Fall Fest. The on-campus portion of Fall Fest was hosted at Steuben Field by Hamilton College’s Residential Life, offering snacks, games, prizes and merriment all around. Meanwhile, just down the Hill on the Clinton Village Green, Hamilton students combed through the town for an autumn-themed scavenger hunt. Cool breezes at both Steuben Field and the Village Green whisked red, orange and yellow leaves around, contributing to the fall atmosphere.
Around the Village Green, many Hamilton students participated in the Off the Hill scavenger hunt. The first two-hundred students to complete the hunt won free Fall Fest t-shirts. This was not the only opportunity students had to win prizes. By winning multiple games in Steuben Field, students gathered tickets and submitted them to raffles for many expensive prizes. The can toss game in particular attracted herds of students. Though this game required a handful of attempts to win, this did not stop students from using the can toss as their personal ticket cash cow. Adjacent to the can toss was the even more demanding ring toss, of which fewer students managed to win, as they had to successfully land their rings onto small cones.
Steuben Field also had several athletic challenges where students could try their luck at winning tickets, including a basketball shooting competition, in which the first to sink ten baskets received a ticket, and a colorful inflatable obstacle course. Though the course’s playful hues indicated a leisurely game, the obstacles demanded a great degree of stamina and determination. Adjoining the obstacle course was a combat ring, where Hamilton students had the opportunity to duel against each other and to knock their opponent out of the ring. While there were many games without ticket rewards, like the cornhole, ladder toss, extra-large checkers and Jenga, they were by no means unpopular: students showed the same level of enthusiasm in these games as students in ticket-winning games. The combination of carnival and tailgate events in the field enticed students to come together to celebrate autumn in an entertaining and heartwarming manner.
Throughout the afternoon, student musicians around Steuben Field filled the air with wonderful tunes — musical covers and original pieces alike. But music was not the only factor behind the lively atmosphere of Fall Fest, as event volunteers brought students together with bags of buttery popcorn and sweet cotton candy.
In addition to musical entertainment and delicious snacks, when the time came for each student to redeem their tickets for rewards, they huddled around the prize table, gaping at the multitude of prizes offered. Many students placed their tickets in the raffle for the iPad and Apple Pencil set, to the point where its ticket bag nearly overflowed. Additional highly coveted prizes included a forty-inch television, a set of Hamilton College gear from the Campus Store, a microwave, a pair of AirPod Pros and a JBL speaker.
This year’s Fall Fest invited students both off and on the Hill to participate in a grand celebration of autumn with their fellow Hamilton students, a welcome experience after an extended period of pandemic fears. While COVID-19 remains a global threat, the College has made it possible for students to safely enjoy each other’s company and partake in fall festivities on campus. Fall Fest ultimately provided students with the opportunity to enjoy autumn before Clinton gets blanketed with glistening snow in the winter.
