Smoke-filled cauldrons, creepy spider webs, flying black bats and talking heads adorned the Eastway Hall Café Wednesday night for Dining Services Halloween party, “Nightmare at Eastway.”

The party kicked off at 4:30 p.m. DJ Ruckkus kept students entertained while they feasted on Halloween-themed foods offered from the Café. Featured foods included peas, carrots and eyeballs, barbecue road kill, tombstone wraps, a brain’s bar and create your own caramel apple bar.

Tia Protopapa, marketing specialist for Dining Services, was happy with how much the students enjoyed the caramel apple bar.

“The only other place I’ve ever seen have their own caramel apple bar was in New Orleans,” Protopapa said. “It was in an old fashion candy apple shop.”

Before the Café opened for dinner, they sold at least a dozen of the apples.

“Apples are good for you,” Protopapa said. “And (when they’re) covered in ooey, gooey, sugary goodness makes them even better.”

Other lures of the evening included a costume contest and a pumpkin bonfire.

John Goehler, assistant director of Dining Services, carved and gutted about a dozen pumpkins for four hours to create an illuminating bonfire in front of Eastway Center.

Staff and students got to wear their costumes to the event. In a costume contest, students had the chance to win a $50 dining gift card for first place, a $20 dining gift card for second place and a $10 gift card for third place.

Anastasia Ehlert, freshman special education major, participated in the costume contest as a chicken.

“I saw the advertisement at Prentice Hall and came with a few of my friends from the dance team,” Ehlert said.

Matt Jacobs, who works for Dining Services marketing, took pictures of the costumes for students to log online and vote for their favorite costume.

“I’m taking a picture of each person in their costume and putting it on Facebook,” Jacobs said. “For the vote to count, students have to press the ‘like’ button underneath the picture they like the best.”

Lisa Hummel, who also works for Dinning Services marketing, let the participants know that the contest is running all week if they wanted to get their friends and family to vote.

“The costume contest is running through next Thursday on Facebook,” Hummel said. “On Friday they will announce the winner on Facebook, Twitter and Dining Services’ website.”

For students who would like to see the contestants in their costumes and get a chance to vote for their favorite, check out http://www.facebook.com/kentstatedining.

You can contact Katie Moore at [email protected].