The Housing Center Student Association will host its annual Fall Festival Wednesday, giving students a chance to relax, have fun and celebrate OU’s homecoming week.
According to Payal Patel, Housing Center Student Association president, the goal of the event is to help students unwind while enjoying food, drinks, games and other activities.
“People can come to relax and have fun, meet new people, engage in the community,” Patel said. “People from all over the dorms come over. That's one way for them to socialize and network around (and) make new friends.”
Mecca Fisher, Housing Center Student Association programming director, said the festival has been a consistent success over the last few years. Fisher said organizers also make sure to listen to attendees’ feedback and suggestions.
Activities include a petting zoo, mechanical bull, carnival and lawn games and a bungee trampoline. New this year, the festival will also feature pumpkin painting, food trucks and a DJ.
Students can eat from food trucks Tasty Snow and Wicked Hangry, which Patel says is an upgrade from last year’s Papa Johns pizza. Up to 250 vouchers will be distributed allowing students to receive a free meal from their truck of choice. Each truck will be equipped to take up to 125 vouchers, according to Patel.
Patel said that her favorite parts of the festival are the swings and customizable bear station where guests can create a shirt for a stuffed bear.
Fisher said his favorite thing at the festival is the mechanical bull.
“I'm a sucker for a mechanical bull,” Fisher said. “I like challenging myself. I like seeing how long I can last riding on it.”
The Fall Festival will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday in the Cross Village courtyard.
This story was edited by Madisson Cameron. Vanessa Essien and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
