Photos: Relive UVA’s 2019 Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn

University News

Photos: Relive UVA’s 2019 Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn

November 01, 2019

Jane Kelly, jak4g@virginia.edu

Photos by
Dan Addison, danaddison@virginia.edu

Trick-or-treaters had to wait a day for the threat of severe thunderstorms to dissipate, but it was so worth it. The University of Virginia’s Lawn was bathed in crystal clear shafts of sunlight complemented by crisp fall temperatures late Friday afternoon, following a 24-hour weather delay.

Even better, hundreds of giddy children were not only the happy recipients of Halloween candy at this year’s Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn event, but of books. UVA partnered with the children’s literacy advocate The Soho Center to give away two Halloween-themed board books, “Fright Club” and “Even Monsters Need Haircuts.”

Jeanna Beker founded The Soho Center 48 years ago in New York. She brought it to Madison County 30 years ago when she and her family relocated to Central Virginia.

Jeanna Beker founded The Soho Center 48 years ago in New York. She brought it to Madison County 30 years ago when she and her family relocated to Central Virginia. She gave out free books at this year’s Trick or Treating on the Lawn.

“The Soho Center is donating several thousand children’s books with a Halloween theme for Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn,” she said. “We hope that everybody loves the idea of collecting books as they trick or treat and will enjoy the stories when they get home.”

The Soho Center gives away 300,000 new children’s books in Virginia every year, to schools, children’s hospitals and other child-related programs. UVA receives a third of the books, making it the biggest recipient of the donations.

“Every month, about 8,000 books get delivered to UVA,” Beker said. Given by donors including major publishers, the books fill the many carts at UVA Children’s, Northridge Pediatrics and Orange Pediatrics. “Every child who comes for a medical visit, for small things and serious things, gets a choice of books. And any siblings who are coming along for the appointment also get to choose books, so no child is left out,” Beker said.

It may have been the first of November, but the scene on the Lawn felt like Oct. 31. Relive the fun with this video and photos.

UVA Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn 2019: Relive Halloween in Hoo-ville

Lawn resident Elizabeth Wat transformed her room into a welcoming space for trick-or-treaters with sensory sensitivities. “Through interactions with the disability community in Charlottesville, I learned that many of our community members with intellectual and developmental disabilities come to the Lawn for this event, and quite a few become overwhelmed by the crowd and music,” she said. Wat also handed out alternative treat options for those with food sensitivities to things like red dye and gluten.