Whitworth is kicking off Halloween with a Monster Mash dance and haunted house on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 8 to 11 p.m. The combined event is hosted by the  McMillan, Ballard and Warren Hall communities, with the dance in Grave’s Gymnasium and the haunted house set up in McMillan. For access to both events, tickets are $3.

“People will come into the dance, pay, get assigned a group number and hang out for a bit,” Warren senator senior Ethan Clardy said. “Then someone will come and grab them and bring them to the haunted house. They will then be able to come back to the dance after the haunted house.”

The theme for this year’s Monster Mash is “Alice in Wonderland,” incorporating decorations like a rabbit hole entrance that twists into Wonderland, clocks, large playing cards and a tea table, Clardy said.

The coordinators of the dance said that they are mainly focused on preparing the decorations as they make or break the guests’ experience.

“Decorations play a huge role in this event,” Clardy said. “From what I’ve seen, [the decoration team] was able to create an array of decorations using butcher paper, and we are hoping to compliment all of those decorations with colored lights that go up the walls of the gym.”

Preparation for Monster Mash started about a month ago as the Warren community wants to make the most out of the event, Clardy said. “Words cannot describe the amount of time we have put into it.”

The BMac team also expressed how long the haunted house takes to plan and prepare.

“It takes so long to set up, at least 20 hours plus of labor, not to mention the [one month of] planning,” sophomore McMillan senator Martin Crocco said. “We only have one day to set up so we come up with as much planned as humanly possible.”

The Ballard community also participates in the haunted house production, helping with setup, tear down and even running the house from within.

“It’s pretty much a combined effort from Mac and Ballard,” Ballard senator sophomore Savannah Heath said. “Usually everyone in the halls help with at least one thing.”

With the extensive preparation, the BMac team is excited about the dynamic of the event and how it brings the community together.

“One of my favorite things about the haunted house is that leadership doesn’t come up with the sections or the themes, the residents are planning and coming out with ideas,” Crocco said. “It’s awesome to see these students step up and take charge of their section, be leaders of their own and create this really cool event that all of the residents of BMac participate in.”

The haunted house incorporates nine differently themed hallways, providing the sense of nine separate haunted houses, said Heath.

It will also share similar aspects to the Monster Mash “Alice in Wonderland” theme as two hallways will reflect Tim Burton movies.

“The rest [of the hallways] are a surprise and people will have to come and find out,” Crocco said.

Some students are excited to revisit these annual events planned by the three residence halls to start their Halloween festivities. Junior Gina Marzo lived in Ballard Hall last year and attended both the haunted house and the dance.

“I look forward to the atmosphere that it creates referring to the Halloween theme,” Marzo said. “As a college student, I don’t view Halloween as an easily celebrated event. The Monster Mash contributes to a safe, fun way to celebrate with your Whitworth community.”

Crocco thinks that everyone should attend the event as it will bring the campus together.

“If you’re looking for something to do for Halloween, this event will fulfill those expectations,” Clardy said.

Get ready for Halloween with some lighthearted spooks and a good time with fellow Bucs by joining Warren and BMac at their Monster Mash dance and haunted house.