Fall Fest 2024!

By: Sara Vargas

All Photos By: Isabella Wyatt

Last week, Salem College celebrated one of its most beloved traditions, Fall Fest. From the 5 a.m. wake-up call to drums in the halls, to the 10 p.m. celebratory pizza party, the day was filled with excitement and some chaos.

Every year on an unannounced date in September, students face off in a merciless battle between the classes to see which class’ hard-work will grant them a victory. Each class is assessed on six categories: props, spirit week, bribes, skits, t-shirts, and cheers and chants. While the seniors are permitted various “Senior privileges”, such as using props of any kind, costumes, and even live music, the rest of the classes are strictly limited to making intricate props out of tape, paint, and cardboard. However, they’ve never let these constraints hinder their fervor for Fall Fest, if anything the challenge makes the rest of the classes even hungrier for the win. This year’s theme was Disney Channel movies. The seniors chose to take on a classic: High School Musical. The juniors chose an underrated yet iconic pick, Teen Beach Movie, and the sophomores decided to channel their inner pop-stars in their choice of Hannah Montana: The Movie. Lastly, the first years chose Halloween Town just in time for spooky season.

It is only appropriate for an action filled day to be kicked off with a bang. Per tradition, Salem students were treated to a rambunctious wake-up call at five o’clock in the morning. To commence the day’s festivities, seniors lined every residence hall banging pots and pants. A live band played outside for all to hear. Later that morning, at a more reasonable time, students gathered in front of the Student Center to show off their cheers and chants. Each class went around in a circle in ascending order, and cried out one of their cheers at the top of their lungs, like a loud serenade for the judges to earn their vote. (In hopes of winning their favor, the classes also put together bribe goody bags for each judge.) Regardless of the size of each class’ Fall Fest crew, everyone showed up with a good number of creative and spirited chants. This year, as the first years and juniors trailed off with their chants, it was a battle between the sophomore class and the senior class. The pace quickened and stress levels rose, but the sophomores came prepared as the seniors ran out of chants, setting the stage for a possible underdog victory. 

After losing our voices, everyone headed to the Refectory to begin the first act of their skits. Despite the lack of sleep and the early morning, each class was nothing but enthusiastic to put on their best show. The juniors even threw in a few somersaults in between their dance numbers! And the seniors harmonized a beautiful duet between their talented Troy (Carter Bowles) and graceful Gabriella (Alison Ketchie). 

During the parade down to Bryant Hall, judges got to hear a reprisal of chants from earlier on as students held up their props, and the seniors caravanned through on a decorated pick-up truck. As they passed, a senior waved a pride flag proudly in the air- and everyone cheered. In the second act of skits, we got to hear some powerful musical performances from classes with some Chappell Roan thrown in, of course. 

From the sunny beach where a rivalry between liberal-arts and STEM majors turned into an unforgettable bond of amnesty, to a timeless love story between a boy, a girl, basketball, and music, to a riveting tale of young heartbreak in Halloween town, to a touching story of friendship, unrequited loves, and Dolly Parton, every class got the memo when putting on Oscar-worthy performances during the third act of skits. The seniors decided to end their skits with a heart-warming surprise. Not only did they welcome Public Safety Officer, Liz, to the stage as Troy’s basketball coach, but gave way to a cameo from our former Dean of Students, Victoria Burgos. Following her beautiful farewell speech to the class of 2025, we had the privilege of seeing the seniors grow up in the span of a few minutes upon the projector screen. While underclassmen haven’t known the seniors for very long, we are still grateful to have had the opportunity to know them during our first years here and are excited to see where their paths will take them. 

As the night came to a close, the judges disappeared from the auditorium to discuss amongst themselves which class would take home the victory. Fall Fest Chairs, Sarah Limbach and Rebecca Conner, were entrusted with delivering the final vote. In a surprising and rare turn of events, the sophomores won the 2024 Fall Fest. 

What led to the sophomore class’ win was ultimately their ability to win the skits category, which is the main category judged at Fall Fest. Clare Buchanan helped lead the sophomore class to victory and spoke on her experience at Fall Fest, “I wrote the scripts with Sara, and directed each scene. It was important to me that I paid homage to some of my queer creative and comedic influences, something that we as a class felt represented the culture here at Salem very well. The most beautiful part of this experience was watching this creative collaboration unfold on stage. In the last skit, when we all sat on stage and sang “The Climb” with Hailey (Hailey Farris played Miley Stewart in the sophomore skits), I was fully weeping, as was everyone on stage and in the crowd. Traditions like that here at Salem are sacred.” 

In the end, everyone knows that the purpose of Fall Fest isn’t solely to win. Its tradition is rooted in the sense of camaraderie Salem Sibs have always had for one another. The true joy of Fall Fest lies in the small moments: staying up late-nights to finish meticulous cardboard props, attempting to remember your lines while powering through stage-fright, and solving last-minute emergencies. While you’ll inevitably end up seeing each other in some of your most vulnerable moments, you also get to cheer each other on in your proudest ones. Afterall, those who Fall Fest together, stay together.