This past Friday, UVA hosted its annual “Trick or Treating on the Lawn,” attracting costume-clad children and parents from all over the Charlottesville area.
A tradition since the 1980s, Trick or Treating on the Lawn brings together students, faculty and community members to have some fun trick or treating and dressing up in costume.
A variety of organisations were handing out candy in the 54 Lawn rooms that line the lawn, and down on the South Lawn, CIOs and other student groups had booths with activities ranging from donut eating competitions to decorating cookies.
Operation Smile, an organisation that provides cleft lip and cleft palate surgery to children, hosted their annual “S’mores for Smiles,” giving kids the opportunity to roast their very own marshmallows over a grill.
Down in the amphitheatre ‘Fall Fest’ was in full swing, sponsored by Dance Marathon and Phi Sigma Pi, featuring many carnival games like corn hole and face painting for everyone to participate in.
Queen Elsa from Frozen seemed to be the favourite costume of the year, though the animals were not lacking in the costume department. Some of the best puppy costumes included a Chipotle Pug-rito and a golden retriever with a strong resemblance to Donald Trump.
Trick or Treating on the Lawn is one of the highlights of the fall semester, and many love it for the sense of community it fosters.
“Everyone loves handing out candy and talking to all the kids that come through,” says Emily Hamilton, part of a new CIO on grounds called Pakistani-Afghan Women in Need (PAWIN), “It’s a great opportunity to see Charlottesville in a different perspective, and all of the cute costumes they are dressed in!”
