Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Halloween with the arts at Haunted River Campus

Monday, October 30, 2017

Students and community members came wearing costumes to this year’s Haunted River Campus event on a chilly evening Oct. 27.

The annual Halloween event allowed students and community members opportunities like pumpkin carving and cookie decorating along with face painting and a pirate-themed photo booth.

Nick Jakurabeck sits alone on a computer at Haunted River Campus on Oct. 27.
Photo by Josh Dodge

The Haunted River Campus took place in the Cultural Arts Studio, where attendees were led down a hallway by signs that indicated the haunted activities of each room.

In the first room, guests took in an art gallery while two Southeast students provided eerie music.

Music education major Courtney Maples and music composition and guitar performance major Jesse Steele jumped at the opportunity to perform at the event. According to Maples, it was not difficult for them to prepare for the gig and compose a few pieces to play for the guests.

According to Maples, “The Haunted Art Gallery” is unique because it brings both art and music together in one place.

“I think while anybody’s listening to creepy sounding music they can picture something in their head, but with this kind of event you have the visual art and the music to go along with it,” Maples said. “It’s neat.”

According to Maples, the Halloween-themed event not only brought music and art majors together, but community members and students who are not usually around the River Campus.

“I like how they’re able to show off a different side of art that most people would not exactly be accustomed to,” senior Meghan Gerard said.

Junior and Haunted River Campus veteran attendee Sammi Allen said the photo booth is one of her favorite parts of the event.

The haunted hallways brought guests to a room for crafts like spooky coloring pages, cookie decorating and pumpkin carving.

Freshmen Abby King and Lauryn Torluemke said cookie decorating was the best part of their evening. Torluemke felt the Haunted River Campus was more festive than scary, but she said she did not mind the lack of scariness.

“We’re going to a haunted house after this, so that’s when we’re going to get scared,” Torluemke said.

Members of University Dancers United made an appearance at the Haunted River Campus initiating a “zombie flash mob.”

University Dancers United president Kaetlin Lamberson said she felt very good about the performance and loved the collaborative feel of the event.

“I love when people from main campus get to come and see what we’re doing down here,” Lamberson said.

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