It’s officially fall! The California version of fall at least; the weather is in the high 60s as opposed to the mid-90s. Sweaters are making their first appearances of the year, pumpkin spice lattes are officially on the Starbucks menu, and the phrase, “what are you going to be for Halloween?” echoes throughout the CdM halls. Big blow-up decorations of black cats, skeletons, and pumpkin- heads can be found in nearly every neighborhood. As the “fall feel” takes over Newport Beach, students are starting to partake in activities that can only happen at this time of year. 

One of the biggest Autumn events in Orange County is Knott’s Scary Farm. Open from September 21 through Halloween, the amusement park Knott’s Berry Farm is transformed into a frightening park. People of all ages flock to the haunted grounds, where they have the opportunity to go on all of the rides in the dark, walkthrough spooky mazes, and get jump-scared by people in terrifying costumes. 8th grader Judah Snow heard the preceding reputation of the park and decided to go with a group of friends. They ended up staying until 1:00 am, making sure they conquered all of the rides and mazes. “I’ve gone in previous years, but this year was the best.” Judah shared. “The mazes were definitely my favorite parts.”

While Knott’s Scary Farm is wildly popular among Southern Californians, getting spooked by zombies and vampires isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Going to a pumpkin patch is one of the more tranquil fall activities that lots of people love to do. Tanaka Farms in Irvine is the go-to pumpkin patch for CdM students. Seniors Alice Iacone and Natalie Moorhead ventured to the orange-blanketed grounds, “finding something fun and festive to do!”  Moorhead has been before, but it was Iacone’s first time in a pumpkin patch. The seniors had a great time picking their pumpkins, naming them, shopping through pumpkin products, and eating some delicious corn on the cob. 

As autumn comes to a close, many students reported that they had a great “spooky season.” Next stop: winter! Also known as, five degrees colder than fall. Trident is excited about the Christmas season, and you should be too!