With Halloween only weeks away, California Baptist University is gearing up to present its annual celebration to students, faculty and the surrounding community to enjoy, as the Office of Residence Life is working together to present a Pixar-themed event Oct. 30.
Scenes from iconic movies like “Toy Story,” “Monsters Inc.” and the more recent “Inside Out” will be featured along the hayride-styled truck ride, which will end with food, music and games near Brisco’s Café in the Village.
“This is a really unique event on campus,” said Rachel Jones, residence director at the Cottages. “It’s unlike a lot of events that we do, so it’s just fun to come and get dressed up yourself. It’s a little bit of a break from school and getting to be a kid again.”
Jones, along with Sam Ramos, residence director of Lancer Arms, and Ian Price, residence director of West Colony, is in charge of overseeing the event this year.
Jones is in charge of the end scene, while Ramos oversees all the scenes and Price handles the logistics of the trucks, route and scenes.
“I am overseeing and making sure they’re getting everything that they need, that everything they’re going to do comes to fruition and that it’s executed to a very high-caliber performance,” Ramos said.
Resident advisers from different living areas will be acting out seven or eight different scenes from various Pixar movies like “Cars” and “Toy Story.” Choreography and music will be included.
“We know that one thing the students love is seeing their RAs because the whole ride is different scenes and the RAs are acting it out, I think it’s fun for them to see their friends and people they know and have contact with,” Jones said.
The trucks make a loop beginning at the Village that runs past Tower Hall and parts of University Place. While the line can sometimes get long, Ramos said they work hard to keep everyone entertained.
“There’s a lot of interaction, a lot of people that will dress up and walk through and they’ll walk through with them, so it really livens up the process for them,” he said. “They feel a little bit more connected to this event.”
This is the fifth year the Office of Residence Life will be putting on its Halloween event. Over the years, it has gathered participants from not only the school, but also the surrounding community.
“A lot of people that go here or are not even affiliated with California Baptist University hear about this event and they bring their kids,” Ramos said.
The event is free for everyone and students and other participants can dress up as they join in on the end scene activities on the grassy lawn outside Brisco’s after the hayride.
“This year is going to be great,” Ramos said. “It’s going to be different than anything that we’ve seen. The staffs are putting together really funny and good theatrical performances so I’d love everybody to come out and take a look and see all the hard work.”
