1780 – The Official Blog of Transylvania University
As zombies and ghouls prepared to take over the streets of downtown Lexington Sunday, Transylvania returned to the Lexington Halloween and Thriller Parade with a PumpkinMania-themed float.
Hundreds of jack-o’-lanterns will light up the Old Morrison steps beginning Oct. 30 for Transylvania’s PumpkinMania and the community stepped up to help get the display ready. On Sunday, more than 300 pumpkins were delivered to Transylvania’s back circle, near Thomson Residence Hall, for carving. The truckload of large orange pumpkins grown by Overman’s Bluegrass Fruits and Vegetables in Central Kentucky were delivered shortly after 8 a.m. Students from campus organizations and sports teams were the first to help unload and prep the pumpkins for carving. With scrapers and power tools in hand, they gutted the fall fruit, removing the seeds and guts and getting them ready for carvers. Once prepped, students, staff, faculty and community members took over and began carving designs — both simple and intricate — into the pumpkins. The carved pumpkins were moved across campus to the front steps of historic Old Morrison. On Tuesday, the community is again invited to join Transylvania and PumpkinMania sponsors Blue Grass Community Foundation and Tetra Tech, for a fall celebration. The fun kicks off with music and food trucks a little after 5 p.m. Trick-or-treating begins at 6 p.m. The highlight of the night takes place at 7 p.m. when nearly 500 pumpkins are lit up at once. They’ll stay in place and will light up each night until Friday, Nov. 2. And in case you were wondering what happens to all those pumpkin guts, they’ve already been added to the
Keeping with a longtime tradition of building community ties, Blue Grass Community Foundation (BGCF) is helping Transylvania bring Lexington together for this year’s PumpkinMania on Oct. 30. BGCF is the lead sponsor for the event, which will kick off at 6 p.m. with trick-or-treating, live music, food trucks and children’s activities. Hundreds of jack-o’-lanterns will be lit at 7 p.m. on the steps of historic Old Morrison. “Lexingtonians love a good party, and over the past eight years PumpkinMania has evolved into a signature family event for North Limestone—an area of our city in which we have invested for many years,” said Lisa Adkins, BGCF president and CEO. “We are honored to partner with Transylvania to bring neighbors together from across the city for such a fun, engaging evening.” Creating more generous, vibrant and engaged communities, after all, is BGCF’s mission. Founded in 1967, the group is the state’s oldest community foundation. It helps donors create charitable funds that make a positive difference across the Bluegrass and Appalachia Kentucky. Through community foundations like BGCF, individuals, families, businesses and organizations establish charitable funds, permanent endowments and scholarships to help meet community needs, such as education, urban development, human services, the arts, the environment, health care and disaster relief. “Every day, I am inspired by incredible stories of nonprofit organizations that are transforming lives in our community, and the generous donors that lift them up,” Adkins said. “We are dedicated to the
LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University’s PumpkinMania will be re-“vamped” this year because of the event’s increasing popularity. This Lexington Halloween tradition will continue on Tuesday, Oct. 24, when the university lights hundreds of jack-o’-lanterns on the steps of historic Old Morrison off West Third Street. The community is invited to attend this event, which will feature: •6-7 p.m. trick-or-treating, music, food trucks•7 p.m. jack-o’-lantern lighting Free, nearby parking will be available for the event. “We’re really excited about the changes we are making for this year,” said Michele Gaither Sparks, vice president for marketing and communications. “This will be our biggest PumpkinMania ever. We are closing off Third Street in front of the university, creating a larger trick-or-treat area, and bringing in food vendors and live music. Much of this year’s expansion is made possible by community partners such as our lead inaugural sponsor, White, Greer & Maggard Orthodontics.” Transylvania also will host a public pumpkin carving all day Sunday, Oct. 22, in Back Circle off Fourth Street. The Lexington community can still enjoy PumpkinMania after Tuesday’s lighting. The jack-o’-lanterns will be glowing each night through Halloween. “What better place to celebrate Halloween than Transylvania University?” Sparks said.
LEXINGTON, Ky.—PumpkinMania, a Lexington Halloween tradition, will continue on Oct. 25 when Transylvania University lights hundreds of jack-o’-lanterns on the steps of historic Old Morrison off West Third Street. The community is encouraged to attend this event, which will feature: •6-7 p.m. trick-or-treating, a food vendor (cash only) and other refreshments •7 p.m. jack-o’-lantern lighting Free, nearby parking will be available for the event. “Transylvania University is the perfect place to celebrate Halloween in downtown Lexington,” said Ashley Coons, who is the assistant registrar and a PumpkinMania organizer. “It’s a great opportunity for the university and the community to come together for a celebration with music, trick-or-treating, games, food and, of course, the jack-o’-lantern lighting.” In addition to the locally grown pumpkins carved by the Transy community, there will be a carving contest among local schoolchildren, and the public is encouraged to drop off their own creations on the Old Morrison steps by 3 p.m. Oct. 24. Everyone is welcome to join us for pumpkin carving from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 23 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 24 in Haupt Circle. Bring your own pumpkins—and Transylvania will clean out the insides for you. The jack-o’-lanterns will remain on display through Halloween night. (Here’s a map to help find your way around campus.)
