Passing on Halloween traditions

Free candy and new experiences played a huge part of Niagara College’s pumpkin carving event at the Welland Campus’ Core, The Student Centre and pub, on Monday Oct. 29.

Seventy-five students signed up to be part of Niagara College’s event. “Pumpkin carving is one of my favorite parts of Halloween and it’s definitely a tradition for many people and I think it’s going really well,” says Shianne Stephens, Student Marketing Co-ordinator for NCSAC.  

Father and daughter enjoying their time while carving their pumpkin at nIagara College’s Welland campus. Photo by Tala Muhtadi

This is the second time the college does a pumpkin carving event that has a “Huge turnout. “They get to carve some pumpkin, eat some candy and just enjoy the night from 4 to 7,” says, NCSAC Event Programmer, Jacklyn Tangyy.

A lot of international students showed up to carve their first pumpkins and experience the new culture and traditions.

Tangyy finds joy in watching the reactions of students when they carve their first pumpkin. She says “They put their hands into the pumpkin for the first time and pull out all the stuff inside, it’s pretty entertaining they look at me like what did I just do.”

Rafaella Souza came with her husband and 2 year-old son Antonio to learn and follow the Canadian Halloween culture. “This is my first year in Canada and we can try living this experience, we can try [to] be in the culture,” says Souza “And I can teach him [Antonio] about some things in Canada about Halloween.”

Antonio,2, posing in front if his very first carved pumpkins at Niagara College’s Welland campus’s event. Photo by Tala Muhtadi

Ruth Sharma, first year Business Accounting student at the NOTL Campus, came with her daughter Amelia, 2, and son Ethan, 5, to carve their very first pumpkins too “I heard about it and I was like oh my god that would be cool to do with the kids,” says Sharma, “I think this is great specially for parents with kids to get them involved in their school.”

The college had 150 pumpkins ready to be carved even by students who hasn’t registered, they can come in eat candy and enjoy their time. And that’s the case for second-year Dental Hygiene Student Taylor Ely. She didn’t know about the event. “I saw the candy from the door and I was like oh hello,” Ely says “We’re throwing a Halloween party so it would be a good decoration.”