UCCS ushered in the fall season with a festival on Oct. 3. The festival featured local vendors and food trucks, activities and a patch-load of pumpkins.
The festival was hosted by UCCS Farm, Student Life, SGA, the Office of Sustainability and the Family Development Center. It also doubled as the final farmers market of the season. The market featured student and community vendors selling a variety of goods, ranging from salsa to jewelry.
Between the trunk-or-treating, caramel apple lemonade, abundance of Halloween costumes and pumpkins, this event felt like the perfect start to October.
The attendee turnout was high despite the afternoon heat and limited nearby parking. The attendees primarily consisted of parents and kids, many of whom were costumed in character onesies.
There were mounds of pumpkins for people to select from. The first 100 students in attendance were able to get a free small pumpkin. Other attendees had to pay $6, $8 or $10 for a small, medium or large pumpkin, respectively.
There were a diverse range of local food trucks and vendors in attendance, including ones serving Mediterranean, Jamaican and Mexican food. There were also beverage trucks that served lemonade and tea.
Among the trucks was Pikes Peak Lemonade, which serves flavored lemonade on tap. I ordered the caramel apple lemonade for $6, which was fizzy, refreshing and very on theme with the rest of the festival.
There were plenty of kid-friendly activities, such as an inflatable and pumpkin rolling game. The festival also offered face painting.
Also featured was a dunk tank, in which students could exercise their throwing skills for a chance to dunk the SGA president, SGA vice-president or the assistant dean of students into a tub of water.
People could pose for pictures in front of pumpkins and hay bales or stop by the professional photo op for a nice family portrait.
The UCCS Farm holds a market every year, starting in the summer and ending in early fall. Farmers markets take place every other Friday throughout the season.
The most sincere pumpkin patch this fall festival. Photo by Josiah Dolan.