Believe it or not, there is more to fall than a pumpkin spice latte. With fall break just around the corner, there is no better time to learn about what’s going on in our area than to do something seasonal and fun with friends or family! So take a break from homework, papers, and exams, and get ready for Halloween murder mysteries, Pier Village’s fall festival, and more!
One event within close proximity to campus is Pier Fest, a free fall festival at Pier Village. Not only will this be fun, but it is perfect for a college student’s budget. It will be taking place Sunday, October 1st from 12-4 p.m. and there will be tons to do. Tired of dining hall food? Pier Fest not only has delicious food and drinks, but there will be live music and tons of local vendors and crafters. Pier fest would be a great place to go with roommates and friends to release some midterm stress.
A great way to enjoy yourself and help those in need would be to participate in Lunch Break’s Crop Walk, 2017. The wonderful nonprofit organization is looking for walkers to help them reach their goal of $120,000, and 14,000 lbs. of peanut butter, rice, and beans. Former Lunch Break interns across the board highly recommend helping out this organization in any way you can. Lunch Break is so much more than just a soup kitchen. They feed and clothe those in need, and give them access to basic amenities like taking a hot shower. Most importantly, Lunch Break gives them the hope they need for a better future. Registration for the walk will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15 and then will start at 2 p.m.
For those of you who are 21 and older, come unwind with some wine at Faustini Wine’s Halloween Murder Mystery and Wine Tasting! This is the perfect thing to do right before Halloween since it is taking place Friday, Oct. 27. From 7-9 p.m. you can sip some wine while solving a spooky, but funny, murder mystery. If you want more trick than treat, C. Casola Farms in Marlboro is the place to go. Every Friday and Saturday now through Oct. 28, you can hop on the haunted hayride of terror, explore the 3D haunted barn, walk the haunted wooded trail, and try to escape the living maze.
Freshman social work student Kayla Greiss stays away from anything that’ll spook her, like a haunted hayride. She said, “I’m such a baby when it comes to haunted stuff, but I love pumpkin picking and apple picking!” A great place to go for apple and pumpkin picking would be Eastmount Orchards in Colts neck. It’s a scenic drive, and when you get there, acres upon acres of apples of all kinds are just waiting to be picked!
For communication lecturer Shannon Hokanson, fall means local summer at the jersey shore. She loves playing outside with her pooch and going to the beach. “I would also encourage anyone to check out some of the beautiful parks in NJ during the fall season.” In the Monmouth area, some good places to check out would be Thompson Park in Lincroft, Hartshorne woods in Atlantic Highlands, and even Sandy Hook all the way at the end of Ocean Ave are cool places to visit in the fall! Senior Photography student, Hunter Cox, talked about her love of going to the beach in the fall. “The best time to go to the beach is the fall, in my opinion. No one is around, and even though it’s cold, you can bring your dogs and curl up on a blanket,” she said.
Any of these simple or spooky fall activities will ensure that you fall in love with fall and make the most of your break!
PHOTO COURTESY OF Hunter Cox
PHOTO COURTESY OF Natalie Unguast