The Residence Hall Association is sponsoring a Halloween Bash in the Student Union for the first time, which will include events held throughout the Union and is free to all who want to participate.
RHA officials said the only requirement for participation is that at least one person in about every five people has a UNC ONE Card.
Events taking place Wednesday night will range from storytelling and live music in the Union Cabaret to pumpkin carving and pie-eating contests in the Pit.
The basement of the Union also will be open all night for students interested in free pool, pingpong and bowling. Tables of free food will be provided all night.
Other co-sponsors for the event include Carolina Dining Services, which provided discounts on the food purchased for the event and advertising in Chase Hall and Lenoir Dining Hall, Old Campus Upper Quad resident assistants, UNC Rotaract, Carolina After Dark and the Department of Housing and Residential Education.
The Halloween Bash was organized to provide students with an alcohol-free alternative to other Halloween parties, said RHA president David Cooper.
"(Our) goal is that every student can say, `Yes, Carolina's got something for me,'" Cooper said. "There should be something for everyone to do on Halloween night."
The idea for the Halloween Bash originated from Old East Residence Hall RA Nate Jaime, Cooper said.
Jaime proposed the idea to RHA and Carolina After Dark in early September and, once it was approved, preparation for the event began immediately, Cooper said.
