Fall Fest is the one time a year students, staff, children, and parents come together at Forest Hills High School to celebrate the festive season. The festival was held on Saturday, October 28, on the school field by both the Law Academy and the Academy of Public Service. Fall Fest is held with multiple activities including game booths, a cotton candy machine, pumpkin picking, and more. Kids of all ages are invited to come and pick a pumpkin and enjoy other activities. Fall Fest offers tons of fun activities that Queens residents may often need to take a drive to experience. Student volunteers “work” the program by face painting, assisting visitors, doing henna, and more.

Students and staff arrived at Hills early to set up. Booths, games, and a pumpkin patch were laid out for children visiting. After picking a pumpkin, visitors could even paint them.

There were a variety of booths including face painting and henna. As well, there was a bracelet-making station. Different types of desserts were being sold, such as cupcakes, cookies, and brownies. The Beacon checked in with a few parents at the event, and the festivities truly livened everyone’s spirits. “We’ve come here before and everything is similar to what happened last year. It was a lot of fun,” one Hills parent shared. Most parents found the pumpkin picking enjoyable and enjoyed the games for the kids and overall had fun.

The Beacon caught up with Ms. Ferrante prior to the event. Who’s idea was Fall Fest? “Mrs. Carlson and I shared ideas with the students and teachers and decided to create a fall fest three years ago,” Ms. Ferrante expressed. “Fall fest is aimed at younger children, but everyone is welcome to come.” Teachers were in attendance with their children, all enjoying themselves on the stunning fall afternoon.

Mrs. Carlson, an important representative of the law academy agreed. “It makes the students who are volunteering know each other in a non-academic way and become better friends.”

So many activities with money donated to these amazing programs. Where does the money earned at the festival go? “The APS program and the Law programs split the money for scholarship funds,” Ms. Ferrante told The Beacon. A goal for next year is to “[sell] out all of the pumpkins and for students and attendees to have a great time.”

Ms. Carlson’s goal for this year’s event? “…to raise money to pay for a bus to go to Boston.”

The beautiful weather mirrored the beautiful day spent outside at Hill’s Annual Fall Fest.