The first annual Arts and Music Festival themed after the hit Halloween movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was hosted by Ventura College onFriday, Oct. 22.

More than 100 students, many of whom were dressed in costumes, attended the live music and art exhibition on VC’s campus quad. The event lasted from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The ASVC put together a festival that included local bands from Ventura County performed and student paintings were displayed. The event brought students together and helped campus clubs raise money.

The festival included performances by Flyswatter, The Sealions, VID.DI.OUS, The Osteoblasts and several others.

Tables were set up all around the quad so that clubs could come and promote themselves to any interested students. Other student organizations, such asStudent Health and Psychological Services, were also present. Many clubs handed out Halloween goodies and useful health and safety information.

In the fireside lounge, tables were also set up so that students could see the displayed work of schoolmates’ paintings. One of the featured student artists was 14-year-old Spencer Crosland of VC.

“I’m glad that people get to see it,” said Crosland, referring to his art in the gallery. “It feels pretty great.”

Crosland was the youngest student to have art featured in the gallery. He also was responsible for redesigning the ASVC logo that is currently being used.

ASVC only had a $750 budget to use for covering all expenses of the event. Such expenses included event security, decorations and food, with catering for band members and event organizers provided by Chipotle.

Before the semester began, ASVC Senators Martha Olin and Monse Ortega had discussed the idea of the festival, but it took the entire student government to bring the event into fruition.

The project was an overall success. Parts of the event were documented, to be later posted on VC’s Pirate Soup.

The original plan was for it to be an event just for the students’ fun and recreation, but after the recent ban placed on bake sales—making it difficult for clubs to make money—the festival became another opportunity for clubs and student organization to make money.

“At first it was just for fun, but after hearing about the bake sale restrictions we wanted to use this event to help clubs fundraise,” said Ortega.