Bearden’s annual Fall Festival will return Oct. 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., bringing a night of trunk-or-treating, games, food trucks, and plenty of community spirit.
This year, SGA has introduced an organized schedule of events to keep the night running smoothly.
“We wanted to make it more structured,” student body president Thatcher Ella said. “There will be set times for the costume contest, trunk-or-treat judging, and other activities so everyone knows what’s happening.”
Ella has overseen nearly every detail of the event, from booking food trucks to running marketing on social media, but he also has a strong team of students helping him manage the responsibility.
“I’ve had members of the club write emails, I’ve had them make posters, and I’ve had them create maps for the trunk or treat,” he said.
Club Sponsor Mrs. Autumn Suranofsky said students may not always be aware of all that happens behind the scenes to make the event successful.
“Fall Festival has so many moving parts, from food trucks to safety planning,” she said. “My role is supporting students as they take on the lead and making sure Thatcher isn’t taking on too much responsibility.”
One of those students leading the way is senior Julia Fawaz, who has been involved in the event for all four years of high school. Last year, as junior class president, she led her grade’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” trunk, taking initiative to organize decorations and activities.
This fall, as senior class president, she’s stepping up again to plan the seniors’ trunk.
“This year we’re going to do the Charlie Brown pumpkin patch, because who doesn’t love Charlie Brown?” she said. “It fits the fall theme perfectly.
“My favorite part is seeing the kids’ faces light up whenever they get candy or play one of the games.”
That sense of community is exactly what the leaders said they hope families will take away from the event.
“The whole festival is centered around the trunk-or-treating and I can’t wait to see the students interact with both little kids and students their age,” Ella said.
Added Mrs. Suranofsky: “This is all about offering something fun and safe for kids who might not otherwise have a place to go trick-or-treating.”
Tickets are $5 per person with a $20 cap per family. In addition to food trucks, there will be Bearden merchandise sales, photo ops, and crowd favorites such as pie-a-teacher.