A HAUNTINGLY GOOD TIME AT MHCC
Updated: 1 day ago
With 1,275 attendees, 22 participating organizations and more than 800 pounds of candy, Barney’s Boo Bash brought families, students and neighbors together for a night of Halloween fun at MHCC.
From superheroes and princesses to ghosts and ghouls, Barney’s Boo Bash transforms Mt. Hood Community College into a gathering place for families, students and neighbors.
Mt. Hood Community College’s Main Mall came alive with ghosts, ghouls, superheroes, princesses, and just about every character imaginable on the night before Halloween. Students, staff, parents and children gathered for an evening of costumes, games, food, drinks and hundreds of pounds of candy handed out to children from across the surrounding community.
Barney’s Boo Bash has arguably become the crown jewel of MHCC’s fall-term events. More than simply a Halloween celebration, the event showcases different aspects of the college, what it has to offer and its connection to the surrounding community. And hundreds showed up, attending despite forecasts calling for rain and chilly temperatures.
Surprisingly, Mother Nature seemed to show a little mercy this year. Unlike last year’s event, which reportedly took place amid heavy rain and cold winds, this year’s celebration was spared the worst of the weather, allowing attendees to enjoy the festivities without quite so much concern for the elements.
Throughout the Main Mall, walkways and corridors became a parade of creativity.
Horror film icons wandered alongside Disney princes and princesses, superheroes from across the multiverse mingled with their supposed enemies, and the occasional costume paid homage to a departed celebrity. From the frightening to the adorable, and everything in between, there seemed to be no shortage of imagination on display.
Events such as Barney’s Boo Bash offer an opportunity for MHCC to give back to the community it serves. An opportunity to connect, enjoy the festivities and create memories together.
After all, the community in community college isn’t simply part of the institution’s name. It’s also found in the people who walk through its doors, whether they’re arriving for a class, a campus event, or simply an evening of Halloween fun.
A COMMUNITY BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Community colleges occupy a unique place within their surrounding neighborhoods. Unlike institutions that primarily serve students living on campus, community colleges often serve people who already live, work and raise families nearby.
For MHCC, that relationship extends beyond the students who attend classes. Parents, children, former students, local organizations and residents all form part of the broader community that surrounds the college.
Boo Bash offers an opportunity for those different groups to come together in a shared space, without the usual expectations of an academic environment. There are no assignments to complete, exams to prepare for, or lectures to attend. Instead, the focus is on having fun and spending time together.
“AFTER ALL, THE COMMUNITY IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE ISN’T SIMPLY PART OF THE INSTITUTION’S NAME.”
For children, the evening offers an opportunity to dress as their favorite characters, collect candy, and participate in Halloween activities. For parents, it provides a chance to share those experiences with their children. And for students and staff, it offers a different way to participate in campus life.
Those individual experiences are what give an event like Boo Bash its character. The costumes and decorations may be what initially draw attention, but the interactions between attendees are what turn a Halloween celebration into a community gathering.
A TRADITION THAT CONTINUES
As an annual event, Barney’s Boo Bash also provides an opportunity to examine how the college’s relationship with its surrounding community has developed over time.
While this year’s weather proved more cooperative than last year’s, the willingness of families to attend despite the forecast suggests that a little rain is not enough to discourage participation.
According to one of the organisers, Dave Shirer, Student Leadership and Engagement Coordinator for MHCC, this year’s attendance was 1,275 which is up 125 attendees compared from last year’s Boo Bash.
Attendance figures can help illustrate the event’s reach, but numbers alone cannot fully capture its impact. Behind every attendance estimate are individual families, groups of friends and community members who chose to spend part of their Halloween celebrations at MHCC.
For returning attendees, Boo Bash may also represent something familiar: an opportunity to revisit a campus tradition and share it with friends or family members. The continued involvement of students, staff and organisers is another important part of the event. From preparing activities to distributing candy and helping visitors navigate the festivities, putting on a community celebration requires work that begins long before the first costumes arrive.
With an event this size, MHCC and the Community went all out in force. According to Shirer, “We had 22 campus groups, clubs and community organizations host tables to engage with the community and distribute candy and welcome the Rose City Dancing Witches for a performance.” Which is four additional tables at the event from last year.
That involvement also illustrates how an event can connect different parts of the college around a common purpose. Rather than serving only those enrolled in classes, the effort is directed toward creating an experience for the wider community.
Speaking of candy, last year’s Boo Bash they handed out 610 pounds of candy…this year they handed out 814 pounds of candy. That is roughly 3,256 Quarter Pounder Cheeseburgers, 1 Grizzly Bear, or exactly 1 concert grand piano!
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