All Smiles and Sticky Faces at Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn

As a professor at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Chelsea Braun spends most of her days on Grounds, but not often in a feline outfit.

On Halloween, Braun’s family, like many in the Charlottesville area, donned their finest group costumes and hit the University’s Lawn for trick-or-treating. When it came time to decide what to wear, her husband Nikolai Braun said it was an easy choice.

“Our daughter Ione likes cats the animal, and Chelsea likes the musical,” he said. So, Nikolai spent six hours creating feline suits for the trio. 

Parents and child dressed as different cats

UVA School of Medicine professor Chelsea Braun and her family dressed up as big cats, inspired by her love for the musical “Cats” and her daughter’s love of the animals. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

It was the family’s first time attending the local tradition, and at age 3, it was Ione’s first time having candy. Roaring in her best lion impression, she could be found rolling in the fallen leaves while her parents held her swag.

Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn stretches back to the late 1980s when UVA students established the tradition to welcome local community members to Grounds. Today, numerous student organizations and residents of the 54 Lawn rooms take part in the annual event.

Dressed up as members of the Cavalier Marching Band, University President Jim Ryan and his staff were among the scores of people handing out candy to excited attendees. His marching band festively made its way across the street from Madison Hall with a little dinosaur in tow.

Brothers Victor and Tommy Barrague were also first-timers to the Lawn festivities, dressed as Woody and Buzz from the Disney classic, “Toy Story.” Their father, Pablo Barrague, a 2015 alum of UVA’s Darden School of Business, first became familiar with the event as a graduate student.

Side by side of a family dressed as Toy Story characters and a girl dressed up as a witch

Left: Brothers Victor and Tommy Barrague joined their mom and Darden School-alum dad on the Lawn. Right: 7-year-old Ridley Russell returned for her fifth Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn as a witch. (Photos by Matt Riley, University Communications)

“We love the ‘Toy Story’ movie and always do a family costume,” said Joana Barrague, the boys’ mother, also in costume as Jessie the cowgirl doll.

Victor said he hoped to find lots of Sour Patch Kids, while Tommy had his fingers crossed for some gummy worms.

A returning trick-or-treater was local 7-year-old Ridley Russell. This year, Ridley dressed as a witch in a light-up dress. Given the limited battery, she eagerly waited for dark before showing off her glow.

“I decided to dress up as a witch because I’ve never done it before, and I thought people would like it,” she said. “I’m hoping to get lots of lollipops and Milky Ways.”

This was her fifth year trick-or-treating on Grounds with her older brother, and both said it definitely wouldn’t be their last.

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In addition to collecting candy from students and organizations, local firefighters and representatives from other community groups handed out candy. Kids could also enjoy crunchy runs on the Lawn, strewn with orange and red leaves. 

Among the fourth-year students living on the Lawn and handing out candy was a pair familiar to many kids: Fred and Velma from the Scooby-Doo cartoon franchise.

Fourth-year student Tyler English, aka Fred, lives on the Lawn and was excited to hand out candy in front of his door. English is double majoring in global public health and chemistry on the pre-medical track.

The vice president of the Black Student Alliance, English decided on the group costume with other BSA members. He said he loves the chance to connect with members of the local Charlottesville community and inspire kids to dream about college life.

Two students dressed up as Fred and Velma from Scooby Doo

Fourth-year student Tyler English and third-year student Chandler Nandkumar, representing the Black Student Alliance, handed out candy in front of English’s Lawn room. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

Third-year Chandler Nandkumar, aka Velma, is double majoring in African American studies and religious studies. She said she loves the chance to show kids that UVA has a diverse student body and, how to rock a bob.

A longtime lover of Halloween, she won her elementary school’s costume contest one year, dressing up as Flo from Progressive.

“We’re here to spread unity and have some fun,” she said.

Please enjoy some additional photos from the spooktacular evening.

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

(Photo by Erin Edgerton, University Communications)

(Photo by Erin Edgerton, University Communications)

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

Media Contact

Zeina Mohammed

University News Associate University Communications