Students and faculty enjoyed festival activities, bouncy houses, and food at San Jose City College’s Festival of Fright event on Oct. 27.

The event was hosted by Associated Student Government Director of Student Resources Valeria Graciela Herrera Vásquez and ASG Vice President of Finance Xitaly Martinez , who worked in collaboration with SJCC campus clubs.

Arlene Rodriguez, a 29-year-old Sophomore involved with the on-campus organization Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán, which represents the Xicano community​, attended the event to also recruit more students to join her club.

“It was hard to get everyone to help and get involved because still too many students are scheduled taking online courses only post-pandemic,” Rodriguez said.

With such a large event, the question remained if the pandemic made a major impact on the festivities.
“I don’t think [coronavirus] was an issue for this event, however there will be health and wellness stations posted around this event which will include face masks and hand sanitizers,” ASG Advisor Hilario Juan Garcia said.

The concern for participation was not limited to SJCC jaguars but also to the vendors who were used for the event.

“It wasn’t easy, a lot of vendors didn’t want to help set up events because of them needing to work through [the pandemic],” Martinez said.

The festival was the biggest celebration they had over the past seven years that Garcia said he has witnessed since he has worked with SJCC.