Independence Community College is inviting families to celebrate the beginning of fall with the Pirates during the Third Annual Pirate Harvest Festival from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, on the ICC Main Campus.
The free, family-friendly event is designed especially for children and will feature an afternoon of face painting, crafts, snacks, games, prizes and more. Families are invited to spend the afternoon outdoors, enjoy the beginning of the fall season and connect with ICC students, student-athletes and employees.
Now in its third year, the Pirate Harvest Festival has grown into an opportunity to bring two important parts of ICC together — its campus and the community it serves. While families may regularly see Pirates competing, volunteering or participating in events throughout the area, the festival provides an opportunity for the community to experience ICC in a different setting.
“Fall is such an inspiring time of year because it reminds us that change can be a good thing,” ICC President Dr. James P. Arnold said. “As the leaves change and fall away, there is something symbolic about letting go of one season and making room for what comes next. That idea is especially meaningful on a college campus, where growth, change and new beginnings are happening every day. The Pirate Harvest Festival gives us an opportunity to celebrate that season while welcoming our community to campus, spending time together and simply having fun.”
ICC student-athletes will once again play a central role in the festival, helping lead activities, games and other festivities while spending time with children and families from throughout the community.
“Our student-athletes have opportunities to be out in the community all the time, whether they are volunteering, visiting schools or participating in local events, but it is much less common to have so many of them together on our campus when they aren’t in action on a field or court,” Melissa Anderson said. “The Pirate Harvest Festival gives children a chance to interact with them simply as people — to play a game, make a craft, laugh together and build a connection.”
Anderson said those interactions also serve as an important reminder to student-athletes about the influence they can have beyond athletics.
“Being a college athlete is about so much more than being good on the field or court,” Anderson said. “Our Pirates have an opportunity to be role models and to become part of the village that surrounds the children in our community. Events like this allow relationships to form in a really natural way, and I think that is good for our kids, good for our student-athletes and good for our community.”
At its heart, the Pirate Harvest Festival is about creating a place where children can have fun while families, students and employees spend time together. It is also an opportunity for young children to become familiar with a college campus and begin seeing ICC as a place that belongs to them, too.
The Third Annual Pirate Harvest Festival is free and open to the community. Families are welcome to stop by anytime between 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, to enjoy the activities and celebrate the start of fall with the Pirates.
For more information about Independence Community College, visit indycc.edu.