The Halloween Hootenanny, a community-wide event with carnival activities and fun for all ages, started at Mason in 2014, and has been growing ever since. Last year’s Hootenanny profited over $2,000, all of which went to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), a local non-profit that provides supplemental groceries to neighbors in need. For this contribution, George Mason earned AFAC’s 2017 Volunteer Group of the Year.

Student Council President Jack West has had a longstanding relationship with AFAC, working with them on various projects.

According to West, this year’s Hootenanny raffle prizes will be even bigger this year than last year. They will include an iPad, a free Breakout Room for eight people, five free yoga sessions, and a moon bounce for a day, in addition to all other prizes put together by Mason clubs.

Last year the SCA was in charge of all the activity booths, but this year the SCA has decided to let individual clubs run the booths, allowing the SCA to focus on the haunted house, and coordinate with AFAC and focus more on food, which will include Chick-Fil-A.

“Every single club at Mason has been asked to run a booth, and seven have already agreed. They can run a booth, for example donut on a string, face painting or ring toss, and in exchange they can advertise for their clubs,” said West.

The Hootenanny also includes a Haunted House, put on by the SCA. The Haunted House has been a big attraction in past years, but the SCA is looking to improve on it this year, by working with the George Mason theatre department. The Haunted House’s theme this year is Haunted Carnival.

As per usual, the Hootenanny will take place in the Cafeteria, with the Haunted House in the Auxiliary Gym, and it will go from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m.