Mississippi University for Women will host its 40th Oktoberfest for students and the Columbus community.
The annual fall festival, first held in 1979, begins at 5 p.m. Friday at the Bryan Green Gazebo near Hogarth Student Union on MUW’s campus.
“Oktoberfest is one of the longest standing traditions at The W,” said Mea Ashley, assistant director of Student Life which is organizing the event, in a press release issued Wednesday. “The event offers a chance for our students to raise money so they can continue to do great work for the campus and the community. It’s a great family-friendly event and we have something for everybody.”
Director of Student Life Jessica Harpole said while students, staff and faculty at MUW have always attended the event, organizers wanted to market it more to families throughout the community this year.
“We just wanted more people to know about it since there aren’t as many fall festivals and things around here,” Harpole said.
The event will feature food, carnival games, performances by student organizations and an exotic petting zoo where kids can interact with chinchillas, skunks, snakes and other animals not typically associated with petting zoos. Participants can also enter a costume contest at 6 p.m., Harpole said.
Admission to the event is free, said Harpole, while tickets for the carnival games are 50 cents. That money will go to support student organizations on campus, but she feels the games are still “budget-friendly for families,” she said.
Alcohol is prohibited at the event.
For more information, call MUW’s Student Life Office at 662-329-7350.
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