Harvest Fest: Fall at The Den
On Oct. 9, 2026, MLEC hosted its annual Harvest Fest. Harvest Fest allows students and staff to come together, wear costumes, and have a great time purchasing goods and services. The gym is filled with fun activities and opportunities for students and staff to support the many clubs that we offer here at MLEC.
For at least five years, Harvest Fest has given students the opportunity to have fun with friends and come together as a school community. From dressing up in costumes to participating in events like this year’s pie-throwing station hosted by BHC (Black History Club), the chance to enjoy themselves is apparent.
The way clubs raise money at Harvest Fest is that they lean into what they do best. Members of the Visual Arts Club used their skills to hand-draw pictures of students and staff. And members of the Equal Rights Alliance (ERA) did face painting.
Other clubs also raised money by selling concessions and food. Class of 2029 sold popcorn chicken, Mu Alpha Theta sold pizza, Psychology Club sold cupcakes, and in the spirit of the spooky season, Board Game Club sold drinkable potions and gelatinous ooze.
This fundraising can help clubs collect money for any future activities, projects, and other club-specific needs. By participating in the festival, club members can work together towards their goals while interacting with the student body and staff outside the usual classroom settings.
“My favorite part of Harvest Fest was spending time with friends while being in our costumes and participating in some of the club’s activities, like Music Club’s karaoke. For TSA, we were able to fundraise through selling ice cream, all proceeds of which go towards lowering our expenses for project materials and competition fees.”
“Through fundraisers like the one we started at Harvest Fest, we can work towards dropping the initially high TSA state conference registration and hotel fees so more of our students can participate and represent the school,” said senior Andy Daisson.
Another attraction at this year’s Harvest Fest was the haunted house, which added spooky aspects to the festivities. With Halloween approaching, the haunted house gave students another way to participate in the festivities and enjoy the seasonal theme.
“The haunted house was crowded with customers, and everyone was screaming and scared after they came out. Black History Club had a pie-in-the-face station, which was funny to see, as a lot of people wanted to pie Mr. Fernandez. IT Club had games like VR Beat Saber, FNAF, and Nintendo games like Mario Kart and Just Dance, so it was great seeing people play and have fun.”
“There were a lot of cool costumes, and people were enjoying the event. My favorite part was advertising for IT Club so people would visit our room because I was able to talk to a lot of people, ask them why they picked their costumes, and guess who they were dressed as. It was great seeing people have a blast,” said junior Marnin Castor.
Alongside the costumes and themed concessions, Harvest Fest made it possible for students to take a break from their usual routines and enjoy something different with friends to kick off the Fall.
