The atrium of Market Square was lit up on Friday, November 18 by a crowd of UNB Saint John students adorned in their most formal clothes for the SRC’s Holiday Ball.
This year’s Holiday Ball was a glowing (quite literally) success with well over 150 students showing up to the Uptown wheelchair-accessible location for the fun. The event was complete with a bar, free food, and options for free parking.
Students were greeted upon entrance by lots of holiday decorations, including an inflatable polar bear, a blow-up Santa, and three inflatable gnomes. The SRC went all out providing fun additions to a night of dancing, with a photo booth and polaroid cameras alongside Market Square’s infamously large Christmas tree.
The featured live music was a local band, The Austin Eatman band; formed by guitarist Murray O’Dell, Joel Arsenault and Bob Fitzgerald on drums and bass respectively, and songwriter/performer Austin Eatman.
DJ Demi (who was also featured at the Nightmare on Water Street event) came on stage at around 10 p.m. Cookies, donuts and cupcakes were available from the beginning of the event, and about halfway through there was Wendy’s fast-food delivery — which, naturally, students devoured.
When asked about the night’s most exciting aspect, a third-year science student, Camryn Newlands, said she “… enjoyed getting to dress up and see the live performers, and [was excited to see] the decorations.”
Even non-UNB students enjoyed the first event of the holiday season since 2019, with attendee Kaleb saying that it provided a great way to enjoy yourself and get away from the stress of life and the commercialized aspect of the holiday season.
The success of the Holiday Ball did not go unnoticed, as some UNB first-year students expressed disappointment over the nature of the event being limited only to students who are older than 19.
Zoey Smith, a first-year student said that she feels disappointed that she couldn’t attend the holiday event: “I’m pretty upset that I couldn’t attend the event. All my friends got to go, and I felt kind of left out. I was hoping they could just do something else for underage students that would still allow us to go and have fun.”
In the past, at events on campus or elsewhere the SRC has used bracelets and things of similar nature to differentiate students who are underage, but never in the Market Square location.
VP-Student Life, Bertha Debly, said she “… believes it was a successful and fun night that was made possible with an incredible group of volunteers and help before, during, and after the event,” with more events hopefully coming soon.
