Eastern Washington University’s JFK Library is not known to be haunted, but there will be ghosts, ghouls and other creatures lurking around the shelves on Oct. 22.
EWU Libraries has adopted a “Haunted Halls” theme for this year’s Oktoberfest fundraiser and staff is encouraging guests to dress in their spookiest garb.
Carol King, director of library engagement and external relations, said one of the reasons the Oktoberfest committee, who selects the fundraiser’s theme every year, went with “Haunted Halls” is because this year’s event takes place close to Halloween.
“Everyone (on the committee) loves Halloween and we’re going to have a lot of people dressing up this year,” King said. “We’ve done a Halloween theme in the past, but this year is different. We’re going to have a lot of surprises for decorations.”
The event runs from 5-10:30 p.m. and will include live and silent auctions. Eastern alum Austin Booker returns to run the live auction.
The dinner menu, catered by EWU Dining Services, embraces the Haunted Halls theme. Entrees include chicken “ghoulash” with pumpkin bites, roast pork with burnt crust, carrot fingers and “mysterious” mushroom sauce, squash or “poison purple” potatoes served with “grave stone” hard rolls and “blood orange” whipped butter.
Salad choices are “green slime slaw” or “graveyard greens” with a choice of “blood orange vinaigrette,” “freaky French” or “rotten ranch” for dressing. For dessert, there will be devil’s food cake, ghostly cookies and caramel apples with rock candy.
“It’s hard to know what food is being served,” King said with a laugh. “We got a new chef a couple of years ago and he’s been great.”
There will also be beer from No Li Brewery and River City Brewery, and wine from Latah Creek Winery and Walla Walla Vintners.
On the entertainment side, Chris Grant Quartet will be the musical guest and there will be a special appearance by DJ X. Jameson Sampson, 2016 EWU Star Search winner, will also perform at the event.
Annually, the Oktoberfest fundraiser raises from $30,000 to $50,000 and attendance continues to grow.
“Our donors are the only way this event has been successful,” King said. She added that Washington State Employees Credit Union recently became the event’s newest platinum sponsor.
“We appreciate our donors,” she said.
All proceeds go to the EWU Libraries’ Collection Endowment Fund to purchase books, journals, electronic resources and other resources for students, faculty, staff and the Eastern community at large.
TICKET PRICES
Tickets for the fundraiser can be purchased online at http://www.ewu.edu/oktoberfest or by calling the library administration office at (509) 359-2264.
Tickets are $200 for a reserved table of six. Individual tickets are $40 and EWU student tickets are $15. Reserved tables require advance purchase. Individual tickets can be purchased at the door.
Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].
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