LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ/Transy Public Affairs) – Transylvania University’s PumpkinMania, a pumpkin-carving event and display, and Alumni Fall Festival are going virtual this month instead of happening in person.
The annual events will feature online activities — including an opportunity to share photos of jack-o’-lanterns — with the larger community.
“While we look forward every year to the opportunity to bring our neighbors onto our campus for PumpkinMania and the Alumni Fall Festival, this year it’s important to ensure that we are staying ‘Healthy at Transy’ and protecting our students, staff, faculty and the larger community,” said President Brien Lewis.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Transy’s campus for PumpkinMania in 2021,” Lewis continued. “This October, we invite you to join our virtual celebration.”
Instead of hosting a pumpkin-carving event and filling the steps of historic Old Morrison with them for the 10th year in a row, the community is invited to carve one at home and send a photo of it to [email protected] or post it to social media with #PumpkinMania so it can be added to a photo collage that will be shared on social media this Halloween.
Those looking to have their carving skills on display can make a “Pumpkin Pledge” to donate their carved works to Lexington Parks and Recreation for the first-ever jack-o’-lantern trail at McConnell Springs.
Transylvania’s 5th annual Alumni Fall Festival is also moving online with two events open to the community — a coloring contest for students and the Transy Trot Virtual 5K, both hosted by the Transylvania University Young Alumni Council.
Students ages 5-12 can enter the Fall Festival coloring contest for the opportunity to win one of three prizes.
Download the files to decorate from the PumpkinMania website, and email a copy of the final artwork to [email protected] by Oct. 21 to enter the contest. Winners will be announced Oct. 25 and featured on the Transylvania Alumni social media accounts Oct. 26-30. The contest is sponsored by MCM CPAs and Advisors.
Sponsored by Traditional Bank, the Transy Trot 5K is a virtual walk/run on Oct. 25 with three chances to win a prize package featuring Pioneers spirit gear and Kentucky Proud products.
Details on entering the 5K and drawings that will take place throughout the week will be released in the coming days on the Transylvania Alumni Facebook and Instagram accounts. More information and registration is available online.
With the transition to a virtual PumpkinMania experience, a new element of the celebration is the expansion of an existing partnership between Transylvania, Kiwanis, God’s Pantry, Bon Appétit and Harrison Elementary.
Every week during the academic year, Transylvania student group Food Justice puts together snack packs for children who are experiencing food insecurity and delivers the meals to Harrison.
The reimagining of PumpkinMania will include Transy and its community partners providing a backpack with food and Halloween treats to these students the week of Oct. 26.
Details on the coloring contest, virtual 5K and updated virtual #PumpkinMania collage are at transy.edu/pumpkinmania.
