Lexie Shadix, Campus Carrier asst. arts and living editor

Sweltering summer days are slowly disappearing, and the cool breezes of fall are beginning to accompany students on their walks to class. Coffee shops have brought back their pumpkin spiced lattes, people are swapping their shorts for jeans and the search for fall activities is underway. Whether it is corn mazes, pumpkin patches or haunted houses, Rome and its surrounding areas offer a multitude of fall festivities. 

If students are looking for something close to their Berry home, they do not have to look much farther than campus to kick off this fall season. This weekend, Berry will host its annual Mountain Day, which includes “Mountain Day Olympics,” a farmers’ market, a picnic, Marthapalooza, performances of “The 39 Steps” and the Grand March. This event is open to Berry students, student’s families, faculty and alumni. Many events are free to students, and the event is a great one to mark off a fall bucket list. 

 This fall, students can also view sports that are in season, such as football, soccer, volleyball and swimming. Claire Theiss, a freshman, recommends attending Berry’s volleyball games. 

“Those have been fun,” Theiss said. “I have really enjoyed getting to watch all of the court dynamics and the way [the players] function as a unit.” 

Kristina Clay, a junior, recommends taking a hammock to Mountain Campus or paddleboarding down the Etowah River with the Department of Recreation. Tents and other supplies can also be rented for camping around Victory Lake. Clay also recommends taking a bike ride around The Spires and meeting the residents. The Spires is an assisted living facility in Rome that is connected to Berry’s campus. 

“The residents are always super happy to meet students,” Clay said. “Some of them are retired professors or alumni, or they just like talking, so that’s fun to do.” 

Berry also usually hosts Scary Berry. For this event, student actors are hired and placed throughout the woods, providing students with haunted trails. There is also the Haunted Berry Tour in which participants are taken on a tour of Berry and told stories of paranormal activity that occurred around campus. 

If students are looking for something close to but not on campus, Rome has plenty of activities to offer this fall season. Before the weather turns too cold, students can visit Honeycream and grab some gelato. Here, they can find the shop’s signature Honeycream gelato, and during fall they can try some of the seasonal flavors. These include flavors such as White Honey Pumpkin and Apple Crisp. If they are looking to view the colors of fall, Fouche Gap, located 20 minutes from campus, offers incredible views. Students can drive up to the gap and view the fall foliage. Clay recommends going to watch the sunset. 

Roughly 30 minutes outside of Berry is Copper Creek Farm. They offer corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides, a petting zoo and pig races, among many other things. A full list of activities can be found on their website, coppercreekfarm.com. They offer select activities on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and all activities on Fridays and Saturdays. The farm is closed Sunday through Tuesday, with the exception being Columbus Day, Monday, October 14. James Grogan, the owner of Copper Creek, recommends students visit the farm’s haunted maze. 

 “We have a very unique haunted maze,” Grogan said. “It’s not X-rated, but it is very scary. We get a lot [of college students] to come through mainly for the haunted maze.” 

The price of a ticket for maze is $28.97 and includes all of the activities the farm has to offer along with admission to the maze. After visiting the maze, guests can attend the bonfire and make s’mores, which is included in their purchase. The farm also offers group discounts, making it an excellent place to go with friends or family.  

Finally, if students are not opposed to a road trip, there are many things to do during the fall in the areas surrounding Rome. Many cities, such as Carrollton and Woodstock, will be hosting an Oktoberfest this year. Oktoberfest is an annual festival that is held in Munich, Germany. Many US cities began holding Oktoberfests of their own, featuring beer and German food. 

Marietta hosts a “Chalktoberfest” in the Historic Marrietta Square. This event is October 12-13, and admission is free. It is hosted by the Marrietta Cobb Museum of Art and combines their annual Craft Beer Festival and Chalk Art Festival. They serve over 120 different kinds of craft beer and guests can see chalk art throughout the square, which will be created by over 80 internationally and nationally recognized artists. There will also be food, arts and crafts for sale. 

Theiss recommends going apple picking in Blueridge, Georgia, which is roughly an hour and half outside of Rome. She visited Mercier Orchards, which offers fishing, apple picking and a market. 

“It’s ten dollars, and they give you a little bag and you can pick as many apples as you want,” Theiss said. “And you can eat apples as you pick them.” 

Berry students can also visit apple orchards in Ellijay, Georgia, which is also roughly an hour and a half outside of Rome. On October 12-13 and 19-20, Ellijay will be hosting the annual Georgia Apple Festival. There will be live music, hundreds of vendors and, of course, a multitude of apples. Ellijay will also be hosting the Apple Arts Festival, which is the sister festival to the Georgia Apple Festival. It will be the same dates and times as the Georgia Apple Festival and offers arts, crafts and food. It is also pet friendly. After visiting the Arts Festival, students can explore the various shops inhabiting Downtown Ellijay where they can find clothes and antiques, among other things. Admission for the Georgia Apple Festival is $10, and admission for the Apple Arts Festival is free. 

As the sweaters come out and the leaves begin to fall, there is certainly no shortage of things to fill these upcoming fall days with. In between midterm exams and papers, students can find the perfect activity for them. In between the food, festivals, crafts and outdoor activities, there is truly something for everyone this season.