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Closeup: Project Pumpkin Organizers Report Record Turnout

Annual student-run Halloween celebration drew as many as 1,400 children

Almost 1,400 witches, super heroes and everything in between descended upon Norris University Center for the Northwestern University’s annual Project Pumpkin. Sponsored by the community service student group Northwestern Community Development Corps, Project Pumpkin began in the late 1980s and has been growing ever since. Children from 25 Chicago-area schools played games, did crafts and had lots of fun jumping inside the giant pumpkin bounce house. Volunteers from nearly 50 student groups, campus residences and Greek organizations hosted activity booths, wore costumes and guided youngsters around Norris, making it one of the largest student-run events at Northwestern.