On Oct. 24, ULM’s 31 Ambassadors attempted to brew a new, less alcohol-centered identity for this year’s Hawktoberfest. Organizers put extra effort into making this year’s event more inclusive for younger attendees.
“We did also want to make it a little bit more accessible for those who are under the age of 21 so we have a couple more games this year, we have a couple more mocktail options,” Julia Johnson, a junior medical lab sciences major and executive member of 31 Ambassadors, said. “We just wanted everyone to be able to enjoy it, not just those who are [over] 21.”
While there was an overall positive reaction towards the mocktails and food, the underage attendees at the event seemed disenchanted. The environment did not appeal to many students who attended, as freshman health science major Adam Byrd described. He claimed the event to be “alright” and “pretty chill,” giving a lukewarm reaction to the supposed “hype” rebrand for Hawktoberfest.
Other students shared this unenthusiastic opinion, with others only attending so that they could get points for the Honors Program.
31 Ambassadors blasted music the entire time. Most attendees had a great time dancing to songs, while others described the environment as “overstimulating.”
Freshman business administration major Zachary Cromwell shared his feelings on the atmosphere of the event.
“It’s kind of loud and it’s not really that fun, but that’s just me,” Cromwell said.
Responses to this year’s Hawktoberfest will hopefully be taken into consideration for next year. To stay up to date with 31 Ambassadors’ events, check out their Instagram @ulm31ambassadors for more information.
