Oz’s Flying monkeys, the cast of “Shrek” and a freak show paraded around the Speaker’s Platform to show their Halloween spirit for Wednesday afternoon’s Halloween Spooktacular.
Spooktacular is an annual Cal State Long Beach Halloween event put on by the Staff Council Special Events Committee. According to committee chairwoman Colleen Ryan, Spooktacular is a morale booster intended to allow for the mingling of different departments. It also allows people to show their creativity.
“I like the Halloween event because people get into it,” said Ryan.
Among the departments competing for best group costume were the Audio Visual Club’s “Shrek” theme, the ASI Communication’s Freak Show, the Center for International Education’s international ghost theme and Housing & Residential Life’s “Wizard of Oz” theme, which took first place.
The flying monkeys from the Housing’s'”Wizard of Oz” went over as a favorite with spectators, by jumped around energizing the crowd by making monkey noises, including CSULB President F. King Alexander.
“I’m gonna have to say the monkeys, the flying monkeys,” said Alexander when asked for his vote for favorite costume.
Elson Browne and Roshan Jayasinghe, the staffers behind the monkey suits, said once their department settled on the “Wizard of Oz” theme, they naturally fell into the characters.
“I’m surprise, I didn’t think it’d go over so well,” said Browne in response to the crowd’s enthusiasm.
The “Wizard of Oz” ensemble nearly swept the contest for best individual costume. The department won two honorable mentions for the Cowardly Lion and Tin Man, third place for the flying monkeys and second place for the Wicked Witch.
First place for individual costume went to Mike Capdeville from the Audio Visual’s “Shrek” ensemble. Capdeville, who dressed as “Puss in Boots” and dragged a mobile version of””Donkey” behind him, came up with the idea for his costume by sticking to the “Shrek” swamp theme that the department used to decorate its offices.
“It’s a great way to go out,” said Capdeville, who is retiring at the end of the year. “I’m very ecstatic, so thrilled. It’s an honor.”
As a second part of the Spooktacular festivities, judges walked around campus throughout the day judging the department-decorating contest. The contest was broken down into two categories of small and large departments.
In all, 23 departments entered the contest. Housing & Residential Life took first place for the large decorating team, while first place for small department went to the Textbook Office for “The 49er Horror Show.”
Gift baskets were awarded to all winners and honorable mentions. All participants of the parade received goodie bags.
