Celebrate Fall on Campus

Although a bite in the air last week gave us a bit of a scare, not all of the leaves have dropped just yet so we are left with a few more days to celebrate autumn.

The crisp air coupled with the bright reds, yellows and oranges in the trees makes fall the perfect season to enjoy spending time outside. YorkU's Red Zone gets into the spirit of things by hosting Halloween events and giving out candy to those in need of a sweet treat, but there are many other Canadian universities that choose to take advantage of this time of year by organizing annual outdoor events for students, staff and faculty.

Pie-eating at Kwantlan Polytechnic University's Fall Fair (credit: Kwantlan University)

Kwantlan Polytechnic University takes the opportunity to open the campus to the public and engage the local community in its events and services. The annual Fall Fair sees President Atkinson hosting a pie-eating contest, as The School of Horticulture generously gives away all of the produce grown in campus greenhouses by students. Numerous food vendors and informational displays round out the November event.

Fresh produce giveaway at Kwantlan (credit: Kwantlan University)

The University of Lethbridge and University of Windsor both take a more musical approach to the fall celebrations by hosting free concert series put on by performers in the Faculty of Fine Arts and University Wind Ensemble, respectively.

Tractor Tug for Tots at Guelph (credit: At Guelph)

An opportunity to support charity drives the University of Guelph to host multiple giving events. The Tractor Tug for Tots, organized by the Ontario Agricultural College, sees everyone from students, faculty and staff to local police officers and firefighters signing up in teams to race against the clock and raise money for Sunshine Dreams for Kids. The School of Environmental Design and Rural Development hosts a pumpkin auction, which are expertly carved by students before Halloween, and a homemade chili luncheon to raise money for Unicef.

Bike races at CMU Fall Fair (credit: CMU Media)

CMU celebrates for an entire weekend by offering free concerts, public lectures, cycling races and exhibition sports games. Tours for prospective students, alumni reunions and a free BBQ are also offered to encourage the larger community to engage with campus life.

What kinds of fall events do you think would be successful on the York University Keele Campus?