After a hiatus, Fall Fest, run by the Entertainment Committee (EC) with help from the Office of Undergraduate Student Life, returned to campus on October 2, bringing the Stevens community together again for an evening of fun, food, and festivities. With an impressive turnout of approximately 640 students, the event demonstrated the lasting appeal of the annual autumn celebration. The attendance included 325 students from the Class of 2028, 172 from the Class of 2027, 104 from the Class of 2026, and 82 from the Class of 2025. The high number of first-year students shows a promising improvement from lower attendance recorded after COVID-19. To learn more, The Stute spoke to Gianmarco Costa, who planned the event.
The event’s success was made possible by collaborating with various vendors and teams, ensuring everything was set up on time. Premium Entertainment’s photo booth was a popular attraction, while Jeff Vock captured the essence of Fall Fest through his photography. Stevens Catering supplied a range of delicious food options, including mac and cheese and pita, which received high praise from attendees. Additionally, vendors were brought in for lighting and decorations and supplied pumpkins for participants to take home.
The event also included activities for students to participate in. With pumpkin picking and painting included, students stayed longer than just to eat, marking a peak interest in the event. The supply of pumpkins even ran out before the end of the evening.
One of the notable aspects of this year’s Fall Fest was the decision to hold the event earlier in the day. This adjustment allowed students with evening classes to participate and even encouraged some commuters to stick around. The timing change was positively received, with feedback suggesting that even earlier, with the 3-6 p.m. slot, may increase attendance even more and offer some ease in the logistics of preparing for the event.
The food, as it often is at events, was a hit. The line to enter the food area wrapped around from the middle of Walker lawn over towards the entrance of the Schaefer Athletic and Recreation Center. Representatives from Stevens Catering served trays of food on a near-constant basis for most of the evening.
To summarize the attendance statistics, Fall Fest saw an early surge with about 30 students checking in before the official start time. Between 5 and 6 p.m., 424 students had already entered the gates. The high attendance was a testament to the event’s appeal and reflected the meticulous planning that ensured smooth operations. Notably, raffle baskets were a big hit. The presentation of food, giveaways, and fun activities at a central point on campus fostered even higher attendance.
Fall Fest 2024 was a resounding success, bringing together students from across the Stevens community to relax, enjoy, and celebrate the season. The event demonstrated the EC’s commitment to providing memorable experiences for students, with careful planning and thoughtful execution ensuring a seamless return of this beloved tradition. The EC is already looking forward to next year, aiming to build on this year’s success and make Fall Fest even better in the future.
