The Lawn is home to 54 fourth-year student leaders, over two centuries of history and, once a year, hordes of costumed community members.
From tons of toddlers soliciting candy to dogs decked out in dinosaur costumes, the beloved tradition of Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn descended upon Grounds Friday evening. The event, which has captured the essence of Halloween spirit since it began in 1987, invited families, students and even pets to collect buckets of candy and show off their creative costumes.
As Lawnies and Contracted Independent Organizations added finishing touches to their displays, the event got underway. Families arrived early, and children in costume milled about under the colorful leaves and setting sun. The Lawn quickly transformed from a beacon of University life into a pillar of the Charlottesville community.
Trick-or-treaters walked single-file along the Lawn to collect candy, passing a number of bedazzled Lawn rooms and Pavilions. Vaishnavi Punaji, Lawn resident and fourth-year Commerce and College student, discussed the work she put into decorating her “McIntired” display, a lighthearted play on the exhaustion students often feel at this time of year. Lawn room 18 became a dreamy wonderland, with Punaji’s friends dressed in pajamas and the door covered with cut-out clouds and stars.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of all of my friends,” Punaji said. “[It was] a lot of manual labor, arts and crafts.”
Although TOTOTL is only a couple of hours of sugar-filled fun, the event requires months of planning, beginning in August. Leading this organizational undertaking was Boris Nakashyan, Senior Resident of the Lawn and fourth-year College student.
Nakashyan met with representatives from Housing and Residence Life at the start of the semester to discuss event logistics and ideas. This year, Nakashyan worked to raise money to cover the cost of the night’s most coveted prize — candy. With so many students and community members descending upon TOTOTL, Lawnies anticipated handing out at least $300 worth of sweets each.
“I fundraised money from Honor and a couple of secret societies,” Nakashyan said. “I was able to cover approximately $100 worth of candy [each] for Lawn residents, but they still [needed] to raise another $200.”
Despite the cost of the candy, Lawnies and CIOs alike were eager to participate. Beyond the terraced walkways, the South Lawn was ringed with candy-laden tables representing different organizations. One such table belonged to Camp Kesem, a group that helps run a one-week free summer camp for children of cancer patients. Sarah Brennan, co-director of Camp Kesem and graduate Education student, discussed her love for the community aspect of the event.
“It's fun for everybody to be able to come out and come together, and the whole community just gets to stay engaged, which is really fun,” Brennan said. “It connects the school and this community.”
Attendees typically showcase their excitement with creative Halloween costumes, and this year was no exception. From a toddler sporting a handmade recycling truck getup to a family masquerading as janitors and even a student dressed as a job application, the colorful ensembles dotting the Lawn were a sight to behold.
Amidst the joyous chaos of TOTOTL, the University kept safety a priority. According to Nakashyan, the event partnered with the University Police Department and volunteers from Emergency Medical Services to ensure a successful experience.
The promise of a safe atmosphere, along with TOTOTL’s celebratory spirit, brought Charlottesville resident Christy Fiebert to the Lawn this year. Dressed as Flounder alongside her husband as Sebastian and their daughter as Princess Ariel, the couple expressed their appreciation for the event.
“It makes it safe for [my daughter] to go out, that’s one of the big things,” Fiebert said. “She can get candy and wander around and see all the costumes.”
The Fiebert family’s “The Little Mermaid” costume captured the spirit of the event, fitting right in with the festive, family-friendly atmosphere. Punaji noted that one of her favorite costumes was also a family affair.
“We [saw] a family [dressed as] bunnies, and it was all the way from grandparents to babies,” Punaji said. “That was really exciting.”
For Nakashyan, what makes the annual trick-or-treating event particularly special is not the CIOs, scenery or even the all-important candy. Rather, Nakashyan said, it is the spirit and imagination that the event inspires.
“It takes a village to plan an event like this,” Nakashyan said. “I can do all the administrative things, I can send all the emails, but what brings everything to life is the creativity that people bring.”
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