Hundreds of students, faculty and community members are expected to participate in the annual Trick or Treating on the Lawn event from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 30.
Since the tradition was established in the early 1980s, children from the Charlottesville community have dressed in costumes and gone visited the 54 lawn rooms where student groups and residents distribute candy.
More than 70 CIOs participating in the event are expected to give out $150 worth of candy per hour, said fourth-year College student Vanessa Ehrenpreis, the Lawn’s resident advisor.
“It’s an investment, but I think it’s worth it,” Ehrenpreis said. “Student organizations are consistently willing to pay it.”
The event attracts a wide range of groups representing a diversity of student communities, Ehrenpreis said.
“We’d really like to get as many student groups involved as possible to have a broad representation of the University’s multitude of communities,” Ehrenpreis said.
English Prof. Jon D’Errico said he has fond memories of bringing his two children, now aged 10 and 15, to the event when they were younger.
“I think it’s a lovely thing,” D’Errico said. “If you like kids at all, it’s kind of charming to see them all in their little costumes.”
Fourth-year Batten student Alex Gregorio is looking forward to handing out candy with the help of members of the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society in Room 7.
“I don’t know what theme I’m going to go for yet, but a Star Wars theme sure seems in the mix,” Gregorio said. “I may or may not have already ordered a stormtrooper uniform.”
Fourth-year College student Parisa Sadeghi, resident of Room 23, said her favorite part of Trick or Treating on the Lawn is the sense of community it fosters.
“I think it’s so important to make sure that U.Va, as a public university, stays open to the residents of Charlottesville,” Sadeghi said. “I think it’s a great way to show and not just tell the community that we think this is a place they should take advantage of and where they are welcome.”
The event was traditionally held during the afternoon of Halloween, but it was moved a day earlier because of a football game scheduled for Oct. 31.
“That would have been a logistical nightmare,” Ehrenpreis said. “We may lose out on a few people who come on the wrong day, but I think we will still have the enormous turnout we’re used to.”
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