With browning leaves, colder weather and homecoming just around the corner, Iowa State’s residence halls hold many fall activities and traditions for the autumn season and for Halloween.

For students, fall signifies the halfway point in the end of semester, and it means that it’s almost time for Halloween. Iowa State is no stranger to fall traditions, with both residence halls and organizations putting events together for students to enjoy during the weeks and days after midterms and leading up to Halloween.  

The Inter-Residence Hall Association, or IRHA, will start its annual Fall Festival Oct. 15, with events happening until Oct. 21. The week will kick off with Cups on Campus at Friley, Birch, Welch and Roberts halls. Wallace and Wilson halls will be hosting Towers Grab and Go Breakfast with free coffee and breakfast food at 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Richardson Court will be hosting games of Zorb ball from 4 to 7 p.m. and pumpkin painting from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Carrie Lane. There will be a Halloween movie marathon at the Memorial Union Friday, with “Hocus Pocus”, “Friday the 13th” and “Halloweentown” being shown during the night. Fall Fest will finish out Saturday with a board game night and Super Smash Brothers tournament at Geoffrey Hall sponsored by Mayhem Collectibles. A more detailed schedule can be found on the IRHA website.

For those who are looking to get festive for Halloween without getting their hands dirty in pumpkin guts or just wanting to make some decorations, the Student Activities Center will be hosting a Sugar Skull Embroidery workshop from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Memorial Union Workspace.

Those who do wish to do some pumpkin carving can do so from Oct. 16 to Oct. 20 at Reiman Gardens, located next to Jack Trice Stadium. These Jack-O-lanterns will on display Saturday and Sunday for “Spirits in the Gardens,” where the gardens will host an evening of trick or treating, storytelling, activities and a Jack-O-lantern with all of the carved pumpkins on display. Admission is free for any Iowa State student with their student ID and those planning on going are highly encouraged to dress up.

University Museums will also be hosting their annual “Ghost Stories of Iowa State,” where historic and haunted stories about Iowa State will be told on Halloween night.

Freeman Hall will also hold its annual Freeman Haunted House on Oct. 21, and Helser Hall’s annual haunted house, Haunted Helser, will also be held on Oct. 28. This year Haunted Helser’s theme is  Resident Evil: BioHelser and admission is free.

Go grab your friends, get your costume and get out there for all of Iowa State’s fall festivities.