The ICC Main Campus welcomed local families to campus Sunday for the third annual Pirate Harvest Festival, celebrating the first day of fall with an afternoon of activities, community connection and Pirate spirit.
The annual festival has become ICC’s way of welcoming the fall season to campus while inviting the community to join in the celebration. Departments, athletic teams and student groups from across the college hosted activities including pumpkin bowling, a cake walk, caramel apples, face painting, fall crafts, games, Fab Lab activities and more.
While the event provides an afternoon of fun for area families, ICC Event Coordinator Kris Ferguson said one of its most important purposes is giving students an opportunity to serve the community they are part of.
“Pirate Harvest Festival is one of those events where our students really get to be the face of ICC,” Ferguson said. “They’re welcoming families, talking with parents, helping little kids with activities and figuring out how to connect with people they may have never met before. Many of our students will eventually work in careers where being comfortable communicating with the public, working with children or simply knowing how to make someone feel welcome will matter. This gives them a chance to practice those skills while doing something positive for our community.”
Students played a significant role in making the festival possible, from setting up and running activity stations to helping families navigate the event and cleaning up afterward.
ICC student Haylie Sisco said working the festival offered a different kind of experience than students typically get in the classroom.
“It was really fun getting to interact with all of the kids and families who came out,” Sisco said. “You get to see how excited the kids are, but you’re also learning how to talk with them, help them with an activity and make sure they’re having a good experience. It was nice knowing that we were giving back to the community and representing ICC at the same time.”
Ferguson said the event also gives community members an opportunity to experience ICC in a casual, family-friendly setting and interact directly with the students who make up the college.
Ferguson said the event is just as much about creating meaningful experiences for ICC students as it is providing an afternoon of activities for local families.
“We want our students to understand that being a Pirate means being part of this community,” Ferguson said. “Events like this give them a chance to step outside of their normal routines, meet the families who live here and give back in a really hands-on way. At the same time, our community gets to know our students and see the energy, kindness and personality they bring to Independence.”