The ultimate guide to Fall Fest
As Bethel gears up for its annual homecoming celebration, here's everything you need to know about the weekend's events.
The annual celebration of many important moments at Bethel College is rapidly approaching; one may have a million and one ideas of what they plan on doing at Fall Fest this year.
For Bethel alumni and upperclassmen, it’s a weekend of school pride, community interaction, and campus exploration. But for new freshmen, they may be asking, “What exactly is this Fall Fest thing I’m hearing about?” This guide will help provide insight into some of the many activities taking place on campus for the 2023 edition of Fall Fest.
The second weekend of October standardly hosts the Fall Fest weekend, which can be a stressful time for students; midterms, exams, and projects can often overwhelm the student, and providing a break is important for the student’s well-being. Fall Fest kicks off Friday with two activities in the Fine Arts Center.
First, the Regier Art Gallery will be full with a new exhibit by Virgil Penner, filling the gallery with various pieces of art to be admired. Friday evening is also the opening night for this year’s Fall Fest production, The Addams Family. This two-hour show is full of comical banters, a variety of music, and more importantly is one of the few shows where an opening night on Friday the 13th seems perfect.
Saturday, the busiest day of Fall Fest, will see performances from students of all talents. Music, acting, and athletic feats of will be on full display throughout the day. Booths will be scattered around the Green, advertising student organizations and clubs, community churches, groups, businesses, and food.
The Bethel soccer teams will be taking on Ottawa at 11 a.m. (women) and 1:30 p.m. (men) at Thresher Stadium. There will be several music performances, such as the Bethel jazz ensemble, the BC organ alumni recital, and the acappella groups Woven and Open Road.
In the middle of the afternoon, the second showing of The Addams Family will be performed, and later in the evening, the Bethel football team kicks off its first divisional game against McPherson at Thresher Stadium at 6 p.m.
This game has proven time and again to bring some of the largest crowds in Bethel’s history, with droves of alumni, family, and friends coming to see the back-to-back-to-back KCAC champions play.
Sunday slows down a bit as the fall break approaches, with students invited to attend the morning worship service at Bethel College Mennonite Church, featuring the school’s famed concert choir.
Lastly, the closing performance of The Addams Family will take place that afternoon, closing out the Fall Fest weekend after helping open it. Fall Fest will run from Oct. 13 through 15, followed by a much-needed break with no classes on the 16th or 17th.