the watch October 2017
Happy October, King’s! We are so delighted by the amount of contributors we’ve had come out this month. With all the hard work that each and every one of them have put into this issue, we feel like this month we’ve been able to make a quality magazine for people from all sides of King’s. Hopefully for the rest of the year we are able to keep it up and continue to create a magazine that our contributors and staff can be proud of. It’s with quality and thought-provoking pieces like this that we feel that we can accomplish this, while still managing to have a bit of fun. Aside from that, we’re hoping to continue to have initiatives where we can include ourselves in more events around campus and around the city. This will include our semi-annual Wardy nights, monthly contributors meetings and access to events all around the city including concerts, plays and so much more!
the watch VOL. 35 NO. 2 - OCTOBER 2017 watchmagazine.ca editors@watchmagazine.ca online@watchmagazine.ca publisher@watchmagazine.ca TWITTER @kingswatch INSTAGRAM @watchmagz
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
Nick Frew Kristen Thompson
ONLINE EDITOR Hannah Daley
CONTRIBUTORS
Abigail Trevino Cam Honey-Webb Colin Slark Isabel Ruitenbeek Alexandria Jackman Julia Hiltz Michelle Cuthbert Trent Erickson Bayleigh Marelj Evangeline Freedman Kristen Thompson
PUBLISHER Avi Jacob
TREASURER
Trent Erickson COPY EDITOR Fadila Chater STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Daniel Wesser
PUBLISHING BOARD TBD
LAYOUT
Nick Frew Kristen Thompson
Hoping to contribute? Feel free to keep an eye on our Facebook page for upcoming events and contributors meetings. You can also sign up for our mailing list by contacting us through Facebook or email. Thank you so much for an amazing issue, we’re so excited for what the rest of this year will bring! Kristen & Nick
We welcome your feedback on each issue. Letters to the editors should be signed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. The Watch is owned and operated by the students of the University of King’s College.
But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people not be warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at watchman’s hand. — Ezekiel 33:6
2 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
the watch IN THIS ISSUE
tuition
page 4
increased enrollment
page 6
tenure track
page 9
j-school expansion
page 10-11
king’s style photo essay
page 12-19
a new abroad program
page 20
the new campus canine
page 22
ghost stories
page 24-25
what to do instead of trick or treating
page 26
The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch 3
Tuition: a rock and hard place Michelle Cuthbert
KSU continues fight for tuition reduction. “I’m choosing between paying for books and paying for groceries,” reads a pale yellow poster stuck to the wall of the Wardroom. “High tuition fees mean $20,000 of debt by 20 years old,” reads another, this time bright red. These messages are accompanied by 71 other signs written by students during a demonstration organized by the King’s Student Union (KSU) on Sep. 18. After interacting with a display in the front hall of the A&A building, students were invited to join the discussion on what high tuition fees mean to them. The posters hang in rows in the campus bar, like bricks, creating a metaphorical wall of student debt. “The point of the action was to address the fact that students are paying an exorbitant amount of tuition fees at King’s and in Nova Scotia,” says Marie Dolcetti Koros, the external vice-president of the KSU. “Students are paying too much to be here and we are calling for a reduction of tuition fees by the university president.” This year at King’s, tuition went up by approximately three per cent for every student. This means King’s students are paying the fourth-highest tuition in the province, according to the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission. On average, students at Nova Scotia universities are paying $7,567 in tuition fees for arts programs this academic year. King’s students will pay $7,416. The KSU’s demonstration was organized as a part of the ongoing Fight the Fees initiative that they participate in as a member organization of the Canadian Federation of Students. William Lahey, the President of King’s, says that he is open to a continuing dialogue with the KSU on this issue. “As I have said many times before I want the conversation 4 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
with the KSU and students generally to continue,” says Lahey. “On the other hand, the university’s financial situation is such that it makes it very difficult to see how we could reduce tuition in the near future.” Currently, King’s is in a financial deficit, meaning that the university has more expenses than it has revenue. “Unless we make a number of different changes, we’re going to have a deficit in the next number of years, roughly speaking, certainly over a million dollars. And that’s not sustainable, that’s just not something the university can continue to absorb,” says Lahey. “And so that makes it very, very difficult to think how we could reduce tuition revenue in the short term.” Both Lahey and Dolcetti Koros acknowledge that this is an issue that disproportionately affects students who come from marginalized groups. “I have a lot of sympathy for students who talk to me about how difficult the high cost of tuition is for them,” says Lahey. “I have a lot of sympathy for the argument that it prevents us from being the university of choice for students from diverse backgrounds.” “A reduction in tuition fees would make King’s tuition more accessible to all students of all backgrounds,” says Dolcetti Koros. But Lahey doesn’t see how it can be economically sustainable for the university to reduce tuition in the near future. “If the KSU could tell me how we could do that and at the same reduce and hopefully eliminate our deficit that would be helpful.” Dolcetti Koros says the fight from the KSU for lower costs is not over. “We will continue to take action until these fees are reduced up front.” |w
Well, that escalated quickly Trent Erickson
This year, King’s reversed the long trend of declining first year enrollment.
Other universities didn’t even bother to send their letters of admission in the mail.
This year’s freshman class boasts 192 students, a two per cent increase from last year’s 188. Although this two per cent increase seems meagre, it’s an important step in the right direction for the university. At a time when most other humanities programs are bleeding students, even a small amount of growth is notable.
Neve’s reaction to the letters is entirely consistent with the goal of the letter writing campaign.
Julie Green works in the university’s registrar’s office, which is largely responsible for the recruitment of new students.
Another way that the university gives prospective students an idea of what they’re in for is by hosting lectures across the country. Neil Robertson, this year’s director of FYP said that the lectures aim to give people a sample of what FYP has to offer.
Green speculates that the increased enrollment is due to the efforts made by her and her colleagues. King’s new website, more visits to high schools and improved marketing materials are all part of this effort. Perhaps the most spectacular and labour-intensive marketing campaign the office undertook last year was their letter writing campaign. Green estimates that each staff spent a cumulative week writing letters to prospective students. “It was a huge undertaking,” said Green. On top of the letters written in the registrar’s office, 24 university staff handwrote over 400 letters to prospective students. Authors of these letters included professors and president Lahey himself. Selina Neve, currently enrolled in the Foundation Year Programme, was the recipient of a few of these letters. “It made me feel that they care,” she said. Neve recalls receiving handwritten letters on at least four separate occasions. Throughout the year she received notes checking up on her, a Christmas card and a warmly written letter of admission. 6 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
“We are saying that we’re a more personalized community and that getting to know people as individuals is important to us,” said Green.
“You’ve got to give someone a reason, while they’re sitting in Toronto or Vancouver, why they’re going to spend thousands of dollars and relocate to Halifax,” explained Robertson. “You’ve got to give them that experience that will make them say ‘I want that and I recognize that I might not get that anywhere else.” Despite the apparent success of the registrar’s office’s recent efforts, they’re not celebrating yet. One hundred ninety-two students in first year is better than 188, but neither are sustainable for King’s in the long term. Rough estimates by university staff place sustainable first year enrollment at 250 students. “We’ve had a couple rough years in terms of enrollment,” admits Green, “we recognize that it will take us a while to get back up to that level.” |w
Tenure-tastic Cam Honey-Webb
Five new tenure positions are coming to Kings over the next three years. The mission to add tenure positions at King’s has yielded successful results. Five new tenure-track hires will be added to the school’s teaching roster over the next three years. “I’m very excited about it,” said King’s president William Lahey. “I think it’s a wonderful thing for our colleagues, for our students and it was absolutely the right thing to do.” According to King’s vice-president Peter O’Brien, a motion was unanimously passed at the King’s board of governors meeting on March 23, 2017 to convert five current sessional positions to tenure-track ones. The first three hires will be made for July 2018, followed by one position in July 2019 and another in July 2020. They will be the first tenure-track hires at King’s since 2010. “There were five cases in particular where long-term sessional teachers were left in this limbo-land of putting in yeoman’s service for the college, doing lots of teaching, contributing to their own research portfolios and also doing some important curricular program development at the college,” said O’Brien adding that the new tenure-track positions are in part recognition of the long-term service of those professors. Lahey believes that these hires will help create more faculty stability at King’s with the hope that it will be mutually advantageous for both faculty and students. “Students will continue to benefit from the great teaching that the occupants of these positions provide … that’s key to recruiting and retaining the students that we need in order to keep the college not only academically healthy but financially healthy in the future,” he said. “We have to invest in our academic program like we believe in it, if we want other people to believe in it.” O’Brien is quick to note that his predecessor, former vicepresident Kim Kierans, “did the legwork” to add new tenure positions. The hiring process The tenure-track hires will be made by the individual programs that hold the current sessional positions. According to Lahey the tenure-track positions will be spread across Contemporary Studies, the Foundation Year Programme and the School of Journalism. Later this fall, each program will decide whether they will hire from within by promoting a current sessional employee or by opening the position up for a national search. The next step will be a call for applications this fall, followed by interviews
and presentations made in the early new-year. There will be a deliberation period before the appointment announcements are made some time in the spring. The appointments will take effect on July 1. Financial considerations The decision to create new tenure positions was not taken lightly given the school’s current financial situation. According to Lahey, King’s ran a $1.6 million deficit last year and is currently $8 million in debt, with the projections for this year indicating a slightly lower but similar deficit the debt will grow to around $9.5 million. “In the light of the financial situation that the college is in, you can expect that some people will be of the view that it’s not the right time to be committing to five new tenure-track positions,” said Lahey. “The outcome was never to be taken for granted and quite frankly I had to take my time to make sure that it was absolutely the right thing to do, not just for the individual but for the college.” O’Brien stresses that these positions are conversions of sessional positions already in the operating budget, not additional positions. Looking forward The five positions currently on their way are not the end of the push for faculty stability in the form of tenure-track positions at King’s. The administration will attempt to create more tenuretrack hires moving forward as long as it is financially viable to do so. The board of governors has approved an enhanced retirement program for faculty members who are qualified to retire. The timing of any additional tenure-track hires will be tied to how many eligible professors decide to retire, as well as the school’s enrolment numbers over the next several years. “It is one of my objectives and it’s one of the objectives of the board of governors to continue to advance faculty renewal,” said Lahey. “I think every university needs to be hiring to make sure there is new blood coming into the system, new perspectives and people who are educated in the most current research methods and schools of thought.” |w
9 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
J-school staying put Isabel Ruitenbeek
King’s is known for it’s traditions: the robes, the Latin, the faux-old stone buildings, the whiff of intellectual superiority that floats down our halls. It’s not a usual environment to teach journalism, a profession that thrives on newness.
The journalism school at King’s bridges old and new. It’s an out-of-date facility where students learn the skills of modern journalism. And for the foreseeable future, it’s going to stay that way. The Campus Master Plan In March 2016, the King’s board of governors approved the campus master plan. Among other recommendations, the plan puts forward a vision for a revamped J-school. It identifies three requirements: more space, consolidation between the third floor and basement levels of the A&A, and reconfiguration in line with multimedia industry standards. The campus master plan was put together by the campus planning committee. It builds on a previous strategic plan for the university, as well as other reports and campus space assessments done in the past. J-school improvements are labeled “priority one,” and two options are laid out in the plan: 1. “Open negotiations with Dalhousie University for a cooperative building project to house the King’s J-school, with the goal of project completion between 2019-2021.” 2. “The fall back option is to convert the King’s gym to the J-school building and move the athletic program, including varsity sports, to alternate facilities.” Though the recommendation seems concrete and bold, in reality neither option will likely come true. Raising money Adriane Abbott, the advancement director at King’s, stresses that the campus master plan highlights needs and priorities for the university, but isn’t an action plan. “Many of the things that were suggested have later been determined as too costly or we’re not actually able to do,” she says. 10 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
Abbott sits on the board of governors and the campus planning committee. She says that to her knowledge, King’s is revisiting cheaper options explored for the J-school in the past, like realignment within the A&A. Anything that doesn’t involve “massive capital projects.” Like many issues at King’s, lack of money plays a part in the J-school’s future. The campus master plan calls for a capital campaign to finance J-school improvements. A capital campaign, explains Abbott, is structured fundraising focused on the amount of money that’s needed to complete a huge capital project— like a new building. The University of Toronto is doing one right now, called the Boundless campaign. Running a campaign like that would require paid fundraising staff, marketing and a huge volunteer base. At King’s, Abbott is the only paid fundraiser. “We don’t have the kind of budgets that would allow us to do a massive advertising campaign,” she says. Instead, King’s has raised money for capital projects like North Pole Bay through major gift campaigns, which are a less money intensive way of raising money. Future campus improvements will be funded in the same way, says Abbott. The J-school The J-school used to be entirely in the basement of the A&A, with the library taking up the third floor. When the library moved out in 1991, the J-school moved in. Tim Currie, director of the school of journalism, says that even then space was an issue, as the J-school couldn’t fully move out of the basement. Though the split between third floor and basement was never ideal, today it’s a real problem. In the past, journalism platforms were separated—TV, radio and print. Now everything is multiplatform, which is tough to teach when your radio room and computer labs are separated on two floors. Currie believes that improving the J-school will act as a recruitment tool. Other journalism programs in Canada, like at Carleton, UBC and Ryerson, are housed in their own buildings with up-to-
date facilities. Of course, those schools are many times larger than King’s.
from journalism students, both undergrad and graduate, was about seven per cent.
Carlton moved their J-school into it’s current building in 2012. According to enrolment statistics, the move to better facilities had no effect on the number of journalism students.
For the J-school, “as far as campus planning goes,” says Doyle, “there’s nothing concrete.” |w
Residences get priority If not the J-school, what will the next facilities project at King’s be? According to Alex Doyle, director of facilities, residence renewal is always front and centre. “We want to get our residences up to standards that the students expect and parents expect. So that’s our focus right now,” Doyle says. According to Abbott, the university’s upcoming fundraising goals will likely be centred on furthering residence renovations. In the 2016/2017 academic year, residence fees made up 10 per cent of King’s revenue. Tuition and ancillary fees
King’s style guide Bayleigh Marelj and Hayley Frail
Before I came to King’s, I heard the jokes. Comments like, “you wear mom jeans? You’ll fit right in.” In my further research, I encountered more of the same. “Make sure to wear something mustard yellow.” “Pack all of your vintage denim.” “CUFF EVERYTHING.” I had heard stories of people accidentally leaving parties in someone else’s Blundstones, and took them as prophecy. As a first year, it was daunting. Will I fit in? Yes. You will. In this series, I set out to document the style of King’s in all of its quirky glory. Take this as a message. Whether you are an art hoe, hipster, hippie, prep, all of the above or neither - whatever brand of “Breakfast Club” character you are - you’re in good company here. And that company looks fabulous.
Ciao for now Abigail Trevino
New CSP summer course to be offered in Berlin in May 2018 King’s and Dal students looking to get away for the summer while earning six credit-hours now have the opportunity to study in Berlin, Germany with the Contemporary Studies Program. Similar to the Early Modern Art, Literature and Politics class offered by King’s professor, Jannette Vusich, in Florence, Italy, the Berlin course will be taught entirely on-site in Germany over the course of four weeks in May. The new class is called Memory, Politics, Place: Berlin’s 20th Century and is professor Sarah Clift’s brainchild. Unsure of which one of these fabulous European courses to take? I sat down with both Vusich and Clift to find details about both so you don’t have to. Clift tells me that the university was looking to add to its summer offerings, and that Berlin is a natural fit for the contemporary studies program since “so much of the material we cover resonates really strongly” with the city. Clift lived in Berlin for years and completed part of her PhD there. She also speaks fluent German, and has an appreciation for German beer, making her the ideal prof to guide students through the complexities of how a society commemorates its own atrocities. “Berlin is an amazing place for thinking about issues of collective responsibility.” Students will be living in a hostel in central Berlin and can expect a day trip to Dresden. Readings will include works by Hannah Arendt. Students will visit significant memorials, architectural sights and museums almost daily. Examining how cityscapes reflect memory will be a key component to this course. If any of this sounds enticing, there will be a free information session open to all on Nov. 1, 2017 complete with free pizza and German beer. Just be sure to bring your ID! If Italian renaissance art, wine, and more distant history 20 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
are more in line with your interests, be sure to look into Vusich’s Early Modern Art, Literature and Politics course. This course, which is offered through the Early Modern Studies department, will be offered in May 2019. “I’ve already got it marked in my Calendar!” Vusich said excitedly when I duck into her office to discuss the future of her pilot project turned-success story. Students in the Florentine course can expect to spend their days examining and discussing the great works of Italian renaissance poets, painters, sculptors, architects, politicians and more. Readings include works by Machiavelli, Boccaccio and Dante. Classes frequently take place in the halls of the Uffizi Gallery or on the lawns of the Boboli Gardens. “The immersion just can’t be replicated,” Vusich said. Students are housed in the ideally located Casa Santo Nome di Gesu, a charming 15th century palace turned-convent that just so happens to serve the most amazing croissants at breakfast. Some of the rooms have gorgeous frescoes on the ceilings, and the onsite gardens are an excellent place to hang out after classes and do complete readings. Both courses will be offered in alternating years, and cost roughly the same amount - just under $5,300. However, including plane fare, textbooks, meals and pocket money, the total cost is likely to be around $7,500-$9,000. For students in need of financial aid, grants of up to $2,000 are available from the Study/ Work International Fund at Dalhousie’s International Centre. |w
King’s’ new best friend Colin Slark
Everyone knows Casey the labradoodle, but there’s a new big dog on campus: Moka, owned by KSU Services and Campaigns Coordinator Michaela Sam.
“Just as we support workers’ rights, Moka likes to be fairly compensated.”
“Moka! So hot right now!” students exclaimed.
Be aware though, if you want to give Moka a treat, make sure it’s dairy-free. He’s lactose intolerant. As for his favourite place to be pet, belly rubs are probably your best bet.
To meet these demands, we sat down with Moka and Michaela for the exclusive story on what makes this pooch tick.
If you think that Moka’s life is all long naps and affection, you might be surprised to learn that he’s an active member of the community.
“I’ve been the Services and Campaigns Coordinator for just over a year now but it’s certainly nice to have a dog around so that when we’re making [International Student Identity Cards] or answering health plan questions there’s someone else there too,” says Michaela.
“I’m glad to have a dog whose principles fall in line with the students’ union’s principles. He loves when people ask for consent before they pet him. He’s in support of re-education. He’s been to rallies in support of workers’ rights, like with the Chronicle Herald this past summer. He does like to be active in the campaigns the union runs.”
“We want Moka!” the people screamed.
Moka the Havanese Shih Tzu has belonged to Michaela’s family for 12 years, but this is his first semester working at King’s with students being around. From what Michaela says, it sounds like Moka, who generally sleeps either under his owner’s desk or in his bed on the office floor, is a welcomed addition to the office. “I’ve talked to a lot of students about how it’s helpful to have a dog around in terms of mental health and as an office that really prioritizes mental health, I think it’s great to have another support in the office and he’s got a friendly face, so… doesn’t hurt.” In contrast with Casey, who runs around the quad with effervescent glee, Moka moves at a slower pace. “Moka is certainly a… lower energy dog as he’s gotten into his older age. Like a lot of us he enjoys a good nap.” That’s not to say that Moka doesn’t like a good game. If you have a treat, Moka will gladly give you a high-five. 22 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
Michaela stressed that if a student wants to say hi, Moka prefers that they ask consent before they dive in for a cuddle. Another thing to note that Moka stays home on days when it’s raining. “I think like many of us he’s a simple dog that loves naps, loves free education, and people are more than welcome to come by, access any of the campaigns or services in our office and also to say hi to him.” |w
Hoax or Haunted: King’s’ Ghost Stories Alexandria Jackman
Ever since I was a little kid, I have always been terrified by ghosts. Any poltergeist, ghoul or wandering soul story that crosses my path, immediately turns me into a blubbering scaredy cat, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
Since arriving at King’s, I’ve heard tales of some spirits who haunt the halls of our beloved university and decided to track down their origins and find out whether or not they warrant a call to the Ghostbusters. With the help of University of King’s College Archives, here is the breakdown of the four most famous ghosts haunting the halls of King’s. The Marauding Cow of Middle/Chapel Bay Imagine, it’s the early 1900s, and you find yourself bored to tears in your dorm room in the Bays. How can you and your dorm-mates entertain yourselves? By pranking people of course! This prank, however, went a little too far, when the inhabitants of middle bay stole a cow and marched it up the stairs to the top floor as a nasty surprise for a student who was disliked by his peers.
pipework in the middle of the night, stuck in cowpurgatory after its cruel death. So how much of this legend is true? As far as records tell, not a whole lot. The university archives (UKCA) have no records or information putting a cow in Middle Bay or Chapel Bay, disproving the whole legend altogether. It is possible that all of this happened under the radar without being recorded. However, is it possible that a cow could have gotten stuck on the top floor? Cows struggle with walking downstairs, due to their inability to see the floor in front of them and balance correctly. On steep steps, like those famously found around the college, cows most certainly would have become stuck or injured. Poltergeist in ‘The Pit’ Almost ten years ago, a team of ghost hunters from Halifax, packed up their gear and prepared for an exhibition of a lifetime into ‘The Pit’.
Legend has it, the cow walked all the way up the stairs and stayed at the top, unable to walk down. In a desperate attempt to remove the large smelly animal from the dorm, the cow was killed.
Home of the King’s Theatrical Society (KTS), The Pit is located under the A&A building and is rumoured to be the home of the spirit of a long-dead janitor who supposedly died of a heart attack while tidying up.
Another version of this story takes place in Chapel Bay, where the cow was slaughtered and left in a dorm room to rot for the resident to find once he had returned from a long weekend spent away from the college.
According to an unofficial article written by an unnamed journalism student, the most sightings of the janitors took place in the 1990’s by campus patrol.
In both stories, the cow now roams the stairwells of Middle and Chapel Bay creating eerie sounds in the 24 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
The UKCA has no official documents of any janitors unexpectedly dying on the job, but that doesn’t mean that no unruly spirits are present.
The team of ghost hunters who spent an entire night camped out in The Pit, failed to find any evidence of lingering janitorial souls, and instead, had their video camera stolen. Whoops. Atrocities in Angel’s Roost For those who’ve never visited Angels Roost at the top of the A&A building, count yourselves lucky, as it is most definitely the most spiritually active location on campus. The first tragic tale of the Roost recalls the suicide of a maid during 1940-1941.
thought that he might be the male ghost seen in The Pit. Whether or not you believe in the presence of spirits among us or not, it is safe to assume that within the walls of our wonderfully historic university lie secrets and stories that have yet to be told and understood. The only question remaining is who among us is brave enough to bust out the Ouija board and discover the truth; certainly not me. If your insatiable thirst for Halifax ghost stories is alive and well be sure to check out ‘Halifax Haunts’, a compilation of ghost stories centred in Halifax, written by Steve Vernon, an author and King’s alumni.|w
According to legend, the young woman committed suicide via hanging after a naval officer who was studying at HMCS King’s in World War II, impregnated her and then abandoned her. The woman has haunted Angels Roost and the A&A building ever since and was reported seen by several students and professors. Many residents of the Roost claim to hear a woman singing, while others have seen ghostly apparitions of a woman hanging from the ceiling. Though university and naval archives have no records of a maid committing suicide, it is true that maids used to live in the Roost up until the 1960’s. Some believe that because it was taboo at the time to have a child out of wedlock the whole event was covered up by Navy officials and the university to save any trouble. The second tragedy to befall on the Roost is the death of a young male student. Stories of the young man’s death vary. One story is of an unfortunate accident where a group of students were jumping rooftop to rooftop when one of the men slipped and fell. Another account claims the young man’s death was deliberate and self-inflicted. Unfortunately, this is one story that has some support behind it. In the spring of 1965, Greg de Catanzaro a student studying at King’s committed suicide in a ‘male residence’ by falling to his death. Which residence is not specified but it is thought to be the Angels Roost. Just like the maid of the 1940’s, it is claimed George haunts the A&A building, and it’s 25 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
Halloween in Hali Julia Hiltz
Not feeling up to trick-or-treating this year? Try these fun events! Halloween, also known as the scariest night of the year, is fast approaching! While trick-or-treating may not factor into your Halloween plans anymore, there is no shortage of spooky events in Halifax to celebrate at. So, embrace the Halloween spirit, throw on that costume, and check out some of these awesome events!
Bluenose Ghosts Festival Located just a short ferry ride across the harbour at Alderney Landing, the Bluenose Ghosts Festival offers a variety of spooky activities! Running from October 5 to 7, 12 to 15, 19 to 22, and 26 to 31, the Festival has something for everyone! Admission to the Fear the Darkness Haunted House, a frightening event, is just $12. The Festival also includes attractions such as a haunted selfie park, a simulated casket ride, and a trick-or-treat house. The Bluenose Ghosts Festival operates between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Access to all events, including the Haunted House, is $20. Citadel Hill Ghost Tour Venture into historic Citadel Hill and listen to its haunted tales! Tours run on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with the last tour on October 28. Tours start at 8:30 p.m. Admission for students is just $10 with the presentation of a valid student I.D. Tickets can be purchased online, in person from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or on the night of the tour beginning at 7:30 p.m. Online tickets must be purchased before 4:00 p.m. on the tour date. Tours last about 70 minutes, starting at the main gate at the top of the hill, then journeying into the depths of the fort!
26 The Watch | October 2017 | @kingswatch
Science, Spirits and Boos at the Discovery Centre On October 28, venture down to the Discovery Centre for a fun-filled Halloween party! From 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., explore all the exhibits the Discovery Centre has to offer, including feature exhibit Quantum: The Exhibition. The event also includes hands-on experiments and plenty of demonstrations. Make sure to dress up in your most frightening costume for the costume contest! The Dome Theatre will be showing “Legends of the Night Sky�, a special one-night feature. There will also be a DJ, live music, crafts and a cash bar. Advanced tickets can be purchased online using Visa or at the Discovery Centre for $15 plus tax up to 5 p.m. on October 27. Tickets can also be bought on the night of the event for $17 plus tax. This event is for those aged 19 and older.|w