Dozens of students commenced their frightening festivities a few days early at DVC’s Halloween Festival on Oct. 29.

The event was an opportunity for DVC clubs to fundraise as well as attract new members.  Attendees included the Dramatic Society, Student California Teacher’s Association, Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society, the DVC Dance Club and more.

Many came in costume, while others just wanted to enjoy the sights. The event featured two performances, a choreographed dance by the Circle K club and a Tae Kwon Do demonstration.  Free food was served to those with Associated Students of DVC stickers.

Jessie Kao, 19, enjoyed the dance performance’s theme, which consisted of zombies, hip-hop dance moves, and “Japanese school-girls.”

“I liked it,” she said. “They needed more practice, though. I saw them practice a few days ago, but I guess they didn’t have enough time to prepare.” 

The dancers finished with an unexpected rendition of “Thriller.”

Gunny Kang, 20, amazed the crowd with some Tae Kwan Do moves. Volunteers from the audience held plywood boards for Kang to break with his foot. One did not break and spiraled into the crowd, missing students and landing on the ground. 

Kang, who has been practicing the sport for 12 years, says it is “just exercise” to him. 

Another popular attraction was face-painting offered by the Dramatic Society. Students could be transformed into the ghoul of their choice free of charge.

President Brian Smick, 21, a theater major, said more students would participate if the face-painting was free. 

The club’s vice president, Justin Johnson, 20, said the goal was to “let them [students] get into the spirit of things.”

One notable client was DVC President Judy Walters, who was transformed into a zombie.

“She’s got a big bite on her neck,” Smick said.

Among the students who went all out for the event was Andrew Ramirez, 25, who came to school wearing a werewolf costume. 

“The inspiration came from watching a variety of monster movies,” Ramirez explained. His aim was “to put the deepest nightmares into everybody.”

While many students seemed enthusiastic about the event and even praised it, others were harder to sell.

“It’s all right,” said kinesiology major Chris McDonald, 20. “It’s kind of cool that people still do these kinds of activities at a junior college.”