Category: The Loveliest Village on the Plains

By Mary Davis Kennedy

2020- What. A. Year. I am not sure where to begin. COVID-19 has truly flipped our world upside down. When I first started hearing about COVID-19, it was in early March, right before our students left for spring break. I truly thought we’d be asked to quarantine for 2 weeks and then we’d return to work and life per usual. But boy was I wrong. From cancelled events like weddings, graduations, and other celebrations, to businesses shutting down and so many people struggling to make ends meet, it is safe to say that we have all been challenged in one way or another this year. “Wear Your Masks” signs and hand sanitizer stations are everywhere now. Homes quickly became offices and schools. Throw in a presidential election and a toilet paper shortage and suddenly we had pure chaos on our hands.

This year has presented new and unique challenges for Auburn University as a whole, but for the Admissions Office as well. As an Admissions Advisor, one of my favorite things about my job is traveling to meet students in person at their school or other recruitment events. I (along with the rest of our office) cannot wait to get back on the road and to be face-to-face with prospective students. While we are thankful to still connect with our students virtually, nothing beats in-person interactions. Besides not being able to travel, one of the biggest challenges we faced was deciding whether to go test-optional or not and when we made that decision to do so, there was certainly an adjustment period for our office. We’ve also received an overwhelming number of applications this year, especially during the 3^rd early action round. I can promise you that Admissions Advisors are reading applications day and night these days! Despite all the changes and challenges, we have remained committed to assisting our future students in any way possible and to be as flexible and understanding as possible as they go through the admissions process at Auburn.

My hope for us all is that this world returns to “normal” very soon, whatever that may look like. Here is to a healthy, happy, and “normal” new year!

Finally, may we always remember the many people who lost their lives due to COVID-19. Our hearts go out to the many families who have lost loved ones during this time.

By Jan Miles

As with everything else in 2020, the winter holidays look different in Auburn this year. Santa wears a face shield and sits behind plexiglass, Aubie Claus is distanced in the background of family Christmas pictures, and masks are donned at parades, but the glitter of the menorah and Christmas tree still light up Samford lawn.

The December 6th Christmas parade kicked off the season with the first Santa sighting in downtown Auburn.

Unique to the Auburn/Opelika area is the Victorian Front Porch Tour. Their website explains the event impeccably:

“The tour began in 1993 with just a few homes participating, but has grown to include 60 homes on North 8th and 9th street. The homes are decorated with life-size Santas, angels, toys, carousel horses and Christmas themed figures. The Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour has been voted one of the southeast’s top-rated tourism events and featured in Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Living.

The event is a self-directed driving tour. However, on Saturday night North 8th and 9th streets will be closed to traffic to encourage visitors, neighbors and friends to stroll through the neighborhood. This enables everyone to leisurely enjoy the homes up close, listen to the carolers, and talk with residents dressed in Victorian costumes. This tour begins on North 8th street and 2nd Avenue and includes over ten city blocks. Admission to this spectacular production is free.”

On the Friday night of the tour, the City of Opelika sponsors Christmas in a Railroad town which includes wagon rides through the Victorian Front Porch Christmas tour. The tour guides take you back in time while enjoying the festively decorated homes.

Another Auburn favorite is the annual Auburn Gingerbread Village on display at the AU Hotel and Conference Center. The impressive display of campus includes campus favorites: Samford Hall, Toomers Corner and the Haley Center.

Dotted throughout the month of December are Aubie appearances, family gingerbread house building at the Marriott, 5ks and lit walks, and story times with Mrs. Claus.

One of the many things I will miss during Covid holidays are the opportunities to gather with the diverse cultural celebrations happening through student multicultural organizations on campus. With a portion of the student population of over 80 foreign countries represented here at AU, the month of December -in a normal year- is one where everyone can celebrate!

What is orange and black with navy blue all over?

That’s right! Auburn during October!

Here in Auburn we love ORANGE and blue, so of course we love SpOoKy SeAsOn! In Auburn the students, locals, stores, and restaurants go all out for the season. They have themed merchandise, events, and prizes throughout Auburn. This year things are looking a little different, but just as spooky as ever!

Costumes

We love dressing up here in Auburn, so every Halloween you will see costumes everywhere! Many hangout spots and on-campus organizations will host costume contests to see who can get the most creative. Many of these contests have fun prizes and sometimes even cash!

Trick-or-Treat

Of course what is Halloween without any candy???? In typical years you can trick-or-treat at the local stores downtown, but this year Auburn is hosting a 2020 Drive Thru trick-or-treat! Are you ready for a spooky Halloween parade?

Downtown Spooky Scavenger Hunt

Like I said….SPOOKY SEASON PRIZES!!! Active Auburn & the Downtown Merchants Association are hosting the Downtown Spooky Scavenger Hunt. Beginning October 25th through Saturday, October 31st, Active Auburn will be hiding a pumpkin at a downtown merchant location. A picture will be posted at Noon every day on Active Auburn’s Facebook page (@activeauburnAL). The first participant to find the pumpkin each day will receive a prize from the hidden location!

Halloween Enchanted Forest

Kreher Preserve and Nature Center

This year there is the Halloween Enchanted Forest event. During the event, you’ll hike the KPNC trails and visit some costumed characters who will entertain you on how they “trick or treat” other animals in the forest! This is a fun family-friendly event to experience with the locals! Some other fun activities include: pumpkin bowling, a campfire, fortune-telling, and face painting!

Spooky Movies

The Donald E. Davis Arboretum at Auburn University and Auburn Parks and Recreation will be hosting the 4th annual Friday Fright Night at the arboretum! There will be two movies this year:

“Little Shop of Horrors” (1986 version)

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975)

Pumpkin Carving

Of course there are always pumpkins to carve!

This year students and locals can compete in the JDCAC Pumpkin Competition hosted by the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center (JDCAC) and Auburn Arts Association (AAA). “Prizes will be awarded in four categories: Most Creative, Best Mixed Media Effects, Best Carving and Best Children’s Work. Prizes will be awarded to winners in each category.” The winners will be announced October 30th!

Football of Course!

We can NOT forget the most important thing:

FOOTBALL!

This year on Halloween, we play LSU at Jordan-Hare Stadium. We can’t wait see our Auburn Tigers cause quite a FRIGHT by serving the LSU Tigers with a loss!

As always War Eagle to all my SpOoKy Tigers out there and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

By Brenna Locklear

There is absolutely nothing like fall in Auburn. In a town that celebrates orange all year long, it is extra special when the season starts to reflect our favorite color, too. The change of season from summer to fall in Auburn brings new tastes, smells, sights, and weather, all while keeping the color orange at the center of our attention. Here is a list of my personal favorite Auburn, orange and fall things:

1. Samford Hall. Some would argue this is the most iconic building on campus, and I couldn’t agree more. And while Samford is always there, standing at attention, catching the eye of every passer-by, it seems to look even more stunning in the fall. The building, with its orange-reddish brick, combined with the backdrop of autumn foliage seems to say “Welcome to fall” like nothing else on campus.

2. Chewacla State Park. Located on the outskirts of town, this is the place to be to see fall foliage in all its glory. Nothing could be more “fall” in Auburn than packing a yummy picnic, hiking one of Chewacla’s 10-plus trails, and observing even the forest showing off a little bit of that Auburn Spirit.

3. Auburn Sunsets. If you know, you know. Sunsets in Auburn on any given day are over-the-top beautiful, but especially in the fall. It’s as if God himself lights up the sky with an ode to our favorite combo of colors, orange and blue.

4. Weather. It’s not a secret that in Auburn many months of the year are rather, shall we say…hot. But come mid-October we are finally afforded some sweet relief from the heat. As you step outside in the early morning, the crisp fall air greets you and reminds you that fall really is the best season in Auburn, Alabama. As an Auburn student, you start and end the day in a light sweater and spend as much time as possible soaking in every moment of the much-anticipated change of temperature.

5. Football Season. Yes, we can’t really talk about fall and the celebration of our favorite color without mentioning one of the most popular sports on Auburn’s campus. Starting on Thursday, Auburn fans from across the state begin to trickle into the area, sporting their favorite Auburn t-shirts and jerseys, and decorating the town in that iconic burnt orange. If you haven’t felt the spirit of fall yet, I promise that will change the closer we get to gameday.

6. Coffee. I know, coffee is not orange, but hang with me. At a local coffee shop downtown called Coffee Cat, they feature a specialty drink that does tip the hat to our most beloved fall color. Their bourbon caramel syrup reflects that cozy orange color and gives you all the fall tastes in one yummy drink. Ask for that added to your standard ole latte and your fall experience can officially be complete. It’s tasty, it’s orange-ish and it’s oh so fall.

If you haven’t experienced a fall day in Auburn, I venture to say you haven’t really experienced all this season has to offer. Make a day of it – drink the coffee, take in the weather, see Samford Hall with orange leaves all around. Come see what fall is really like in a town that loves orange.