Katie Anderson

Things to do on the Pumpkin King’s Night

Halloween can be a joyless holiday if
a) you intensely dislike handing out free candy to children,
b) you aren’t one of the children receiving said candy, or
c) you’re a college student and trick-or-treating garners weird looks from adults.

So instead of dressing up like Rick Astley and practicing your live Rick Rolling for weeks beforehand (just to suffer the disappointment of getting beaten in the candy gathering masquerade by a five-year-old wearing a homemade Kung Fu Panda costume), consider these other events happening on campus and around Rochester. It could save you from crushing embarrassment.

Mt. Hope Cemetery Tour

When: Any time you want to go to the Mt. Hope Cemetery at 1133 Mt. Hope Avenue.
The Lowdown: This is a self-guided audio tour that lets you go through the cemetery where Frederick Douglass is interred. Call 585-419-9758 and you can get a tour of all of the popular people, or “stops” as the description puts it, at the cemetery. It costs $3.95 per phone call, so make sure only one person in your group calls in to keep costs at a minimum. You can go to geopointsystems.com/tours.php and download a copy of the map that will keep you on the path of the tour, or go to the Distillery across the street (at 1142 Mt. Hope Avenue) and pick up a copy there.
Reasons To Go: You can make a night of it if you go to dinner at the Distillery beforehand. If you’re of drinking age, the Distillery makes their own signature brew, which could help you enjoy your cemetery visit even more thoroughly.

Rocky Horror Picture Show

When: Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1 at the Webb Auditorium at RIT. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 9 p.m. each night.
The Lowdown: Tickets cost $4 and they go fast. These Halloween shows are the last dates that RIT gave the Ancient Spirits of Evil troupe permission to perform. This looks to be the farewell tour for on-campus RHPS fun, so get your tickets early.
Reasons To Go: You can dress up in the most ridiculous RHPS costume. Even so, there will possibly still be someone dressed more outrageously than you!

Global Union’s Halloween Dance

When: October 31 in the Student Alumni Union from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m.
The Lowdown: DJ Key-Yo will be spinning, and there will be a costume contest for several fabulous prizes. Last year, the winners received a pretty hefty gift certificate. They are also providing food, which is really awesome since it’s a free event and is open to anyone who wants to show up.
Reasons To Go: Halloween dances are the least awkward dance you can have. What girl would turn down a dance from James Bond or V unless she’s already hanging out with Zorro? If you have a good costume and a mask, you can take it all in stride without worrying about much future embarrassment.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

When: Opening Night is October 31
The Lowdown: Clerks director Kevin Smith’s story about a platonic couple that share an intimate moment on film in order to score some cash. For a full review of the film, go to reportermag.com.
Reasons To Go: I must say that this is definitely something that most college students would thoroughly enjoy. I give it a resounding two thumbs up.

Acapellaween

When: November 1 in Ingle Auditorium at 7 p.m.
The Lowdown: Eight Beat Measure, one of RIT’s three male a capella groups, will be performing Halloween-themed gems such as “Monster Mash” and “Zombie Jamboree” in addition to other selections (like Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida”). The group will perform alongside other singing groups including Serendipity of SUNY Albany and Touch Tones of Cornell University. Cost of the evening’s performance is $2.
Reasons To Go: Who doesn’t like songs about zombies? Eight Beat Measure know their strengths as a group when they perform, so this concert promises to be a solid one.