Flashing lights, loud music and feather boas surrounded students this past Friday evening, Sept. 26, as the Student Activities Council and Mercyhurst Student Government collaborated to put together their annual Fall Ball.

Held in the Student Union Great Room, the theme this year was Great Gatsby, giving students a chance to attend dolled up in 1920s period clothing.

Garrett Erwin photo: Students embrace the 1920s theme of Mercyhurst Student Government and Student Activities Council’s annual Fall Ball this past Friday evening.

They also made sure to get decorations that would tie into the theme, such as feathers, lights and sequins.

SAC and MSG incorporated a few new features this that changed the formula for this year’s ball.

MSG Events Coordinator Megan Lawrence said that they made the changes to draw in more students than in previous years.

The event ended up attracting roughly 250 students through the course of the evening, according to Lawrence.
Salina Bowe photo

Instead of incorporating the masquerade theme that they had done a few times before, they decided to go in a new direction with The Great Gatsby theme.

“We made sure to ask the DJ for a green light,” Lawrence said, in reference to the significance of the green light in The Great Gatsby novel.

While the dance had in previous years been a ticketed event, this year, students were able to just walk in.

The event featured free food to entice people to come, as well as a photo booth.

Students were encouraged to dress up with props such as sequined dresses and top hats and have their photos taken for free.