At least 175 students attended Hawk Hill Productions’ (HHP) Hawktoberfest on Oct. 27 on the Maguire Wolfington Welcome Center lawn.

The event offered crafts, fall-related snacks and pumpkin picking. Alpha Phi Omega (APO), SJU Green Fund, and Relay for Life were among the student organizations who hosted tables at the event.

According to DaMara Arrington ’23, on-campus programmer for Hawk Hill Productions, “Hawktoberfest is an event where students can gather and do fall activities, eat fall foods and mingle with one another.”

Arrington, who was in charge of organizing this year’s event, said she wanted to make sure the event had a fall theme this year, rather than making it entirely Halloween based.

“I feel like not everyone is a fan of Halloween, but fall, you can’t really escape it,” Arrington said.  “It’s here. I feel like [the theme] is more neutral for anyone based on their beliefs or anything like that,” Arrington said.

Hawktoberfest, formally known as Fall Fest, “has grown throughout the years,” according to Megan Azzalina, assistant director of student leadership and activities and Hawk Hill Productions adviser.

“I think people just like celebrating fall, whether that is if it’s more Halloween, everyone loves being able to go to the pumpkin patch, grab a pumpkin and then paint it,” Azzalina said. “So it’s just one of those things that HHP can really count on to bring some joy for students and celebrate the season.”

While many came to the event for the whole experience, students like Marc Humphrey ’26 had some particular activities in mind when they decided to stop by.

“I really enjoyed [pumpkin carving],” Humphrey said. “I did go to that, and I just had fun with it.”

Other students like Olivia DeMauro ’26 came to embrace nostalgia and happy memories, participating in activities that they’ve done in the past with friends and family.

“Whenever I’m home, I do fall things with my mom like picking pumpkins,” DeMauro said. “So I thought that it was really cool that they were doing that here to kind of make it feel like fall.” 

Azzalina said she hopes that the event, and others like it in the future, will provide a way for students to connect.

“Ideally, I think when you’re doing something like sitting down to paint a pumpkin, to make a cookie, or do something like that, hopefully you’re also meeting some new students too, which is really great, especially for first-year students,” Azzalina said. “Because you’re both sitting there, [and] you have something in common, you’re at the same event. So hopefully that can kind of spark some conversation, spark some connections as well.” 

While the event is popular among first-year students, it also is a staple for upper-level students like Megan Bradley ’23.

“I’ve been to all the Hawktoberfests,” Bradley said. “[I’m a] big fan.”