The Student Activities Board hosted a Halloween-themed drive-in turned indoor movie night at 8 p.m. on Friday, October 13 in the Biermann Athletic Center.

SAB served popcorn and candy while showing the seasonal classic, “Hocus Pocus,” amid inclement weather conditions. 

According to sophomore and media team member Erik Tedder, SAB originally planned to hold the event in the Splex parking lot but changed the location to avoid rain.

“Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, so we moved the event inside to the Biermann. Though it wasn’t quite a drive-in, the Biermann is still a unique venue, so I think it kept the event special,” Tedder said.

Tedder added that despite the less-than-ideal conditions, the turnout was better than anticipated and provided the SAB with an impromptu opportunity to practice flexibility in event planning. 

“More people braved the rainy trek over than we were expecting, and it was great to see people enjoying a Halloween classic with their friends,” Tedder said. “I think it demonstrated not only SAB’s ability to pivot but also Hillsdale students’ dedication to making the best of an event even if it wasn’t exactly what they were expecting.”

According to Sophomore Ty Ruddy, the event was a great opportunity to take a break during midterm season. 

“I thought it was fun,” Ruddy said. “I wandered a bit with my friend because we did not know the movie had been moved inside, but once we found it though and realized popcorn and candy were free, we were locked in.”

Junior SAB member Phoebe VanHeyningen said the weather did not impede the team’s ability to create a relaxing environment for students. 

“Creatively, we wanted the drive-in movie to feel spooky and cozy, so we used some fake spider webs and put out blankets on the floor to make it feel sort of like a sleepover, VanHeyningen said. “I honestly think moving it to the Biermann Center made it cozier than if we had done it outside, but I definitely missed the drive-in aspect.”

Despite the success of the indoor event, SAB is not giving up on the idea of hosting another drive-in screening. 

“The first time Hillsdale hosted a drive-in movie was in 2020, and since we weren’t planning on having a quad this semester, we thought this was a perfect time to bring it back. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t on our side, so stay tuned for SAB’s future shot at drive-in movie redemption,” Tedder said.