The traditional Fall Fest Week at Notre Dame is taking a new look.

Similar to last year, all activities will no longer take place in one week but throughout October.

Student government is calling it “Fun-Tober.”

“We are planning a variety of events throughout the month, starting from the first full week of October and going all the way until the end,” explained Frau Jen Laaksonen, who heads up the ever-active organization. 

The executive branch of student government heads up most of the organization with the outreach branch providing additional support. 

One change students will notice is the scaled-down setup for the Fall Fest Dance, which will be taking place on October 11th.

 The scaled-down setup will allow tickets to be more affordable at $10 instead of $15. 

The dance will run from 8-10:30 p.m. 

Planning began a few weeks ago, but was slightly delayed by the August 29 tailgate, which demanded a significant amount of attention from student government. 

Time has become a challenge for organizers. 

Meetings take place once a week, but some board members have been meeting two or three times weekly to ensure everything is done on time. 

Laaksonen praised the student representatives and administration for their quick responses in such a short time. 

“Our reps go and sit down one-on-one with administration. Sometimes things are approved immediately; other times we hear back within a day or two. They know how important it is for us to get information quickly, so we can inform students,” she explained. 

Although student government works efficiently, time is still a big challenge in organizing large events. 

“For example, Powder Puff scheduling is tricky because we have to avoid conflicts with athletics and other school activities,” said Laaksonen. 

Although there have been some changes and difficulties in planning Fun-Tober, students can still expect familiar favorites. 

“We are planning a special food day, dress down days, and other pre-dance events alongside the return of a much-loved activity that students on the board wanted to bring back.” 

Laaksonen admires all the students working hard to make Fun-Tober possible and promises a month full of fun.