From spine-chilling to heartwarming movies, and from meaningful pieces of performance art to haunted houses, the University Activities Board (UAB) is stacked with entertaining and festive events for you and your friends to indulge in this October.
On Oct. 2, UAB started out strong with a pre-screening of the new, hit movie “A Star is Born,” starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Approximately 100 students attended this event. Michael Barilla, a third-year student studying computer engineering and the UAB Films chair, reflected on the success of the screening.
“Everyone left the theater with tears streaming down their faces,” Barilla said. “I had to tally up surveys afterward for the movie studio, and most people rated the movie either a nine or a 10. The movie seemed to be loved by all who attended. We were also able to give out a bunch of movie posters out to students. The event and the movie were a big hit.”
Brianna Murphy, a second-year student studying genetics and the UAB Concerts and Entertainment chair, also attended the pre-screening and spoke about her thoughts on the movie.
“‘A Star is Born’ was really, really good,” Murphy said. “I am really happy that UAB was able to have a pre-screening of it. It was a movie that I really wanted to see, so I am very glad I could see it on campus for free.”
If you were unable to attend the pre-screening for “A Star is Born,” don’t worry, for there are many more popular and distinguished movies that will be playing this month. Barilla spoke out about the movies that he is most excited about this fall.
“I am really excited about this week,” Barilla said. “On Oct. 11 through the 13, we will be showing ‘Love Simon’ and ‘Lady Bird,’ which are two very popular LGBTQ+ movies. This Thursday is actually National Coming Out Day, so that is our little tribute to that. Also, for Diversity Education Week, we will be screening ‘BlacKkKlansman’ on Oct. 18 and 19, which was one of the most popular voted movies.”
However, for those more interested in films with more horror and fright for the month of Halloween, UAB will also be showing all of the “The Purge”movies on Oct. 25 and 26. In addition, UAB will be hosting a special Halloween event called “Scream on the Green,” which will take place on Oct. 30 at 11 p.m.
“‘Scream on the Green’ will be hosted outside of Talley, and it is kind of like a mini carnival,” Barilla said. “There will be music, games, popcorn, hot chocolate, and a bunch of candy. You will have the opportunity to even win a prize at the end, if your raffle ticket is chosen. We will also be showing the movie ‘Twitches,’ which is a bit of a throwback. It’ll be a lot of fun.”
To further indulge in the Halloween spirit, UAB has a joint partnership event with the Arts Village from 8 to 11 p.m. on Oct. 27. Anna Long, a third-year student studying communications and the UAB Leisure and Recreation chair, shares more information about this exciting event.
“The Wicked WolfPack Carnival is an outside festival that has many games, different types of food, prizes and even a haunted house,” Long said. “The event will be at the Thunderdome, the area between Turlington and Alexander residence halls. This event allows students to have the opportunity to celebrate Halloween in a fun and not necessarily scary way.”
Finally, for those looking to celebrate fall with a more cozy and relaxing type of event, UAB hosts events such as Chords and Coffee, which took place this past Wednesday, Oct. 10 in One Earth Lounge. Murphy offers her insight on this recurring event for the Concerts and Entertainment committee.
“Chords and Coffee is held twice a semester, and it is an open-mic situation,” Murphy said. “We will have a guitar, a keyboard, and any other instrument you may wish to bring for you to use. You can sign up to perform an original song or a cover. We will also have coffee, tea, hot chocolate and snacks for you to enjoy. It is a very chill event, and anyone who performs will get a special, cute mug to take home.”
Fortunately, if you were unable to attend Chords and Coffee this month, there will be another iteration of the event this upcoming December.
All of these events, however, are just some of what UAB has to offer. New events are likely to pop up sometime this month, so make sure to keep an eye out for more exciting fall events. You can stay informed by looking on the University Activities Board website or following them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Rows of multicolored corn and pumpkins are displayed at the Raleigh Farmers Market on Sept. 18, 2017. The Farmers Building provides 30,000 square feet for North Carolina farmers to sell fresh produce and plants.
