In the past, members and supporters of the student-run literature and arts review would gather around a sparkling bonfire and share their most frightening stories in honor of spooky season. This year, The Peel will host “Ghostly Get Together” to offer scares in a safe way. 

Ghostly Get Together will feature multiple virtual events over the course of three days and finish with a lottery giveaway of prizes related to coffee and The Peel. To enter the lottery, students simply need to take part in the activities. 

Hannah Hagler, public relations co-chair and event coordinator for The Peel said that each time you participate in an activity, your name will be entered into the lottery for a max of three entries.  

It all kicks off Oct. 28 with a costume contest. Participants can snap a photo of themselves in their best Halloween getup and tag The Peel on Instagram by Nov. 1 for their first entry into the giveaway. 

Oct. 29, The Peel will host a Netflix watch party of a scary movie that students will nominate and vote on. 

“In the same vein of Spooky Bonfire, where everyone’s sharing scary stories,” Hagler said, “this time we’re all going to get together and watch somebody else’s professionally made scary story.”

Finally, Oct. 30, participants will log into a Zoom version of the traditional Spooky Bonfire. Students have the chance to volunteer their haunting tales or sit back to listen and laugh. 

Ghostly Get Together is a part of The Peel’s initiative to continue to provide events for the community through a virtual setting, Hagler said. Peel members want to keep “morale high” and people “buzzing and happy,” she said. 

Hagler also said she expects people to have a “Halloween-shaped hole in their hearts” due to the pandemic, and wants to provide a safe option for Halloween activities. 

“It kind of does bring a bit of specialness back to Halloween,” Hagler said. “Just because Halloween is different this year doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun.” 

The Peel won’t make the link to certain events public to avoid potential “Zoom bombers,” people who hop into sessions randomly and try to disrupt the group’s meeting. Those who wish to participate can message The Peel on Instagram or access the links through Engage, said Marisa Bush, public relations co-chair and social media coordinator at The Peel. 

Members of The Peel want to make the activities available, but also prioritize maintaining a welcoming environment, Bush said. 

“We’re trying to make this super low maintenance, like for casuals who enjoy the season,” Bush said. “The year has been so challenging and tough, and we just want to relieve some of that stress.”