Fall Ball approaches, CAB books Crystal Ballroom for eighth year

Photo Courtesy of Lewis & Clark Campus Activities Board

THE FALLING OF the leaves signifies various annual traditions: pumpkin-carving, apple-picking and sweater-wearing, to just name a few. Among these traditions at Lewis & Clark is the Fall Ball. This year, the event will be held Oct. 22 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at a highly sought-after venue, the Crystal Ballroom.

Since its spring counterpart, Spring Fling, was replaced with a Carnival of Scholars, Fall Ball has assumed the role of the largest dance of the year. The event has been held at the venue for eight years. Because of how it is well-established, a relationship has developed between the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and the Ballroom and the venue booking is done with ease.

“I think what differentiates Fall Ball from a high school dance is in great part the venue; the Crystal Ballroom is a high-end, historic concert hall which is harder to get into for other events, and I think people have fun with the fact that it’s downtown,” CAB Co-Chair Maddie Barto ’17 said. “Overall, we want it to be a night where the student body can come together and have fun in a different, more exciting setting.”

Another difference from high school dances is the fact that drinks are served to students who are 21 and older. A cash bar will be there with a three-drink limit. Students will need their government-issued ID in order to receive a drink wristband and enter the bar area. These wristbands will stop being issued at 11 p.m., when attendees are no longer allowed to enter the dance.

Students will not be breathalyzed at the door. However, security will pat people down in order to make sure illegal substances do not make their way in.

“We have been able to hone security practices over the years in order to ensure a healthy and safe event,” CAB Co-chair Izzy Vaccaro ’17 said. “We have private security at school checking people as they get on the buses, and the Crystal [Ballroom] provides professional security at the actual dance. The three-drink limit is in place to keep things under control, but we also just feel that it’s a healthy practice.”

The event was created under the assumption of being semi-formal, although, because there is no official dress code, levels of dressiness vary.

This year, Kevin Fox ’18 and Mark Figueroa ’18 will be DJing, known around campus for their performances at the Unapologetic Student Union and GLOW dances. Fox opened for Fall Ball last year, but this year, he will be taking the main stage.

“I love playing a mix of everything, even though my main genres are electronic and hip-hop,” Fox said. “I’ll be blending in R&B, dancehall, reggaeton and more to hopefully give everyone something they’ll recognize.”

This year, CAB has been extremely active; it has already organized movie nights, concert series and presidential debate viewings. Its Facebook page alerts students of upcoming events.

“In CAB we like to provide a social counterbalance to academic life on campus, so the purpose of holding [Fall Ball] is really for students to have fun,” Barto said. “Since we’ve held it for so long now, we think it’s something that students really look forward to each year; it’s become a Lewis & Clark tradition.”

Tickets can be purchased in front of the Bon from 5-7 p.m. during the week leading up to Fall Ball. They can also be purchased at the tables in J. R. Howard and in the Student Activities Center. Tickets are $20 and $5 will be given back to students who take the bus to the Crystal Ballroom before 9 p.m. Guest tickets can be purchased for $25.

 

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