Costume-clad children eager to collect candy and prizes filled the Union on Wednesday for UPC’s annual Family Fright Fest.
The free event hosted a variety of activities, including a fishing station for prizes, a haunted house, a magic show, mask making, pony rides and pumpkin carving. The event targeted married students with children.
“Family Fright Fest is such an opportunity to reach out to married students,” said Nelson Kent, a pre-med senior who is a member of UPC. “It’s a chance for the U to not only be a commuter school but to include older students.”
Darin Winegar, a sophomore in business, attended the event with his wife and son.
“My wife saw it advertised in the married student housing, so I met up with my family after class,” Winegar said. “It’s great because it’s free and safe and keeps our one-year-old son’s attention.”
Winegar said he thinks the event was accommodating to students because of both cost effectiveness and the family-friendly, “laid-back” atmosphere.
Families from all across the Salt Lake Valley came to the event. Some students attended to support their community and get service hours in.
“The main reason I love Family Fright Fest [is] particularly because of the community service element,” Kent said. “I’ve been part of a lot of different campus activities, and I’ve found a home in UPC and hosting events like this one.”
Some sororities were also in attendance. Kappa Kappa Gamma provided a booth of washable tattoos, Alpha Phi gave out Halloween-themed doughnuts, Delta Gamma gave out stickers and Chi Omega handed out candy.
Emma Jackson, a senior in marketing, said she enjoyed being a part of the event.
“It’s such a fun time to see how you can make a child so happy just by giving him or her a piece of candy,” she said.
The Student Alumni board also attended and hosted games of “Donut on a String.”
Lacey Despain, a senior in strategic communications and president of the Student Alumni Board said the board attends Family Fright Night every year.
“It’s a tradition for our board to come out and support UPC,” she said. “It’s unique to have kids on campus.”
Elementary school teachers and their students were also in attendance, Despain added.
“The event breaks down the teacher-student barrier,” she said. “I’ve seen a couple of my teachers with their kids, and it’s so nice to see them living a life out of the classroom. It’s special.”
Kent said the event was a way to break away from midterms and get into the spirit of Halloween.
“The event is more personal, and you get to see so many smiles from a different demographic,” Kent said. “Halloween is the time you can be a kid, you can be anything you want.”
@JulianneSkrivan