BEST BETS
HOMECOMING WEEK EVENTS — Homecoming week at The University of Alabama is underway and features events for students and UA fans. The community will be able to view and vote on their favorite lawns decorated by student organizations and businesses participating in the Paint the Town Red competition beginning around noon Friday, Oct. 21. The homecoming queen will be announced during the pep rally and bonfire on the Quad at 6:30 p.m. that evening, with the homecoming parade starting at noon Saturday, Oct. 22. For more information visit the UA homecoming website, or contact Jennifer Brady, UA Strategic Communications, at jennifer.brady@ua.edu.
UA CELEBRATES HISTORIC FUNDRAISING YEAR — The University of Alabama set a fundraising record for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, raising almost $226 million in charitable gifts and pledges from nearly 60,000 donors. The record-breaking fundraising year follows the one-year anniversary of the public launch of The Rising Tide Capital Campaign, a $1.5 billion effort to elevate all areas of campus — from student scholarships and faculty research to campus facilities and athletics. For more information, contact Deidre Stalnaker, UA Strategic Communications, at deidre.stalnaker@ua.edu.
STATE BUSINESS LEADERS STILL SOUR ON ECONOMY — For the second consecutive quarter, state business leaders have a negative outlook on the economy, according to the latest quarterly survey by The University of Alabama. The UA Center for Business and Economic Research’s latest Alabama Business Confidence Index, taken in early September, remains slightly negative following a similar outlook in the snapshot taken over the summer, the first negative outlook for the economy since early 2013. For more information, watch for a news release, or contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
UA RESEARCHERS HOPE TO SPUR ADOPTION OF GREENER JET FUEL — Engineering researchers at The University of Alabama are spearheading a project to demonstrate an innovative method to create jet fuel from plants, helping the airline industry meet goals for using a renewable fuel source and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Supported by $2.5 million from the United States Department of Energy, the effort hopes to advance a catalyst containing three different metals used to chemically convert ethanol into butene that can be further modified to produce the same aviation fuel that currently originates from crude oil. Sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, would counteract a plane’s emissions of harmful carbon dioxide, or CO2, through the CO2-consuming plants needed to make the fuel. For more information, watch for a news release, or contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
FREE APP WEEK OCT. 17-21 — The University of Alabama is waiving application fees for domestic and international undergraduate, graduate and online prospective students Oct. 17-21. To receive instructions on how to submit an undergraduate application for free, applicants must first submit their contact information on the Undergraduate Admissions Free App Week page. To reserve a graduate application waiver, students may sign up on the Graduate School’s Free App Week page. For more information, contact Jennifer Brady, UA Strategic Communications, at jennifer.brady@ua.edu.
BRING OUT THE CAP AND GOWN, GRADUATION IS DEC. 10 — The University of Alabama will hold fall commencement ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 10, at Coleman Coliseum on the UA campus. Around 1,650 degree candidates are expected to be in attendance for the two ceremonies. More information can be found on the UA commencement website.
EVENTS
ALABAMA WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TIDE TIPOFF — UA wheelchair basketball players will display their skills in speed shooting, a three-point contest and scrimmages during the Tide Tipoff Thursday, Oct. 20, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Stran-Hardin Arena. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kellcie Temple, marketing director for Adapted Athletics, at kbtemple@ua.edu.
ALABAMA REPERTORY DANCE THEATRE RETURNS TO THE STAGE — Students in the UA Department of Theatre and Dance will return to the stage in graceful performances choreographed by UA’s nationally acclaimed dance faculty Oct. 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the Dance Theatre in the English Building on the UA campus. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for UA faculty, staff and senior citizens, and $15 for students and can be purchased at ua.universitytickets.com. For more information, contact Emilia Stuart, marketing manager for UA Theatre and Dance, at epstuart@crimson.ua.edu.
UA THEATRE PRESENTS ‘THE IMAGINARY INVALID’ — The University of Alabama Department of Theatre and Dance presents “The Imaginary Invalid” by Molière Oct. 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. in the Marian Gallaway Theatre. “The Imaginary Invalid” is a French comedy that follows the story of a hypochondriac and the consequences of his selfish decision to make his daughter marry a doctor so he can get free medical checkups. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for UA faculty, staff and senior citizens, and $15 for students and can be purchased at ua.universitytickets.com. For more information, contact Emilia Stuart, marketing manager for UA Theatre and Dance, at epstuart@crimson.ua.edu.
HALLOWEEN EVENTS
CRIMSON CARVING CONTEST RETURNS — Alabama fans have the chance to win prizes by carving a pumpkin with images related to The University of Alabama. Fans can create their own design or use one of the templates they can find on the UA News Center, where they can also find a complete list of contest rules. Fans should submit a photo of their Bama-themed pumpkin to social@ua.edu with their name and location by 11:59 p.m., Oct. 30.
HAUNTING AT THE MUSEUM — The Gorgas House Museum is giving free haunted tours from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. daily from Oct. 24 to Oct. 28. The Alabama Museum of Natural History will provide Halloween fun for all ages Oct. 26 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. with children’s stories, crafts, mad scientist experiments and more.
TRICK OR TREAT ON SORORITY ROW RETURNS — More than 500,000 pieces of candy will be distributed to children during the Alabama Panhellenic Association’s Trick or Treat on Sorority Row, Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 6 p.m. The event, which has not taken place since 2019, is open to children ages 12 and under who must be accompanied by an adult. Masks and fake or realistic-looking weapons are discouraged.
AFTERNOON AT THE AR’BOO’RETUM — Families are invited to stroll through the haunting grounds of The University of Alabama Arboretum Oct. 29 from 1 to 4 p.m. during an Afternoon at the ArBOOretum. This free event is geared toward children ages preschool through 7th grade and will feature Halloween-themed education stations. Attendees will learn about all the creepy crawlies and carnivorous plant life native to Alabama. They’ll also enjoy the Trick or Treat Trail which will have jack-o-lantern buckets full of candy along pathways throughout the arboretum. Costumes are welcome.
HALLOWEEN AT THE TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM — Visitors are invited to wear their costumes when they visit the Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum Saturday, Oct. 29, from 1 to 4 p.m. A new exhibit, “Threaded Through History,” highlights fashion from the early 20th century, with exact replicas of outfits from 1905 created by UA students. Halloween-themed outdoor inflatables will be available for children. Candy and light refreshments will be served. This event is free.
HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA — Families are encouraged to come for Halloween fun at the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility Oct. 31 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event, which is free, includes trick or treating, games and the chance for children ages 13 and under to meet UA student-athletes. Everyone is encouraged to bring canned or non-perishable food items to donate to Beat Auburn Beat Hunger.
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The University of Alabama strives to remain neutral on public policy issues. Strategic Communications may facilitate interviews or share opinions expressed by faculty, staff, students or other individuals regarding policy matters. However, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or its leadership, and do not constitute a statement on behalf of the University unless explicitly designated.