Fall is in full swing, and at Loyola Academy, that means the annual Dumbach Pumpkin Auction.

Every year, Dumbach invites any Dumbach Scholars, art students, and faculty at Loyola to put their creativity to the test, decorating a pumpkin to the most creative theme of their liking. Then, for three days in October, the pumpkins are put on display in the piazza, eagerly waiting to go home to their highest bidder.

This year, there were about 35 entries, and boy did those entries deliver. Out of the wide range of pumpkins, a big fan favorite was Ms. Michels’ “Pump-Kim,” fashioned to look like Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala outfit.

Another favorite was a Gary the Snail pumpkin.

“I liked the creative use of the pumpkin turned on its side, ” Ms. Shifrin, the director of the Dumbach Scholars Program, remarked.

Despite the success, this year’s installment of the auction was not without its challenges. Fake bids ran rampant throughout the auction, something that disappointed both students and administration alike.

“It created like an extra step of clarification which we needed to do which we haven’t had in years past. So that was slightly disappointing,” Dumbach Student Leader Kendall Beil remarked.

“If we continue with the Pumpkin Auction tradition, this is something we need to look at and make changes for next year so this doesn’t happen again,” Ms. Shifrin added.

While the fake bids were a disappointing hiccup, nothing could stop the auction from being a massive success. Like always, the auction served as both a great way to get Loyola students in the Halloween spirit and for students to have the opportunity to show off their artistic talents.

And it raises money for a great cause. This year’s auction raised close to $900 for the Gonzaga drive, making it the highest-grossing Pumpkin Auction Loyola’s ever had.

Kendall Beil summed it up perfectly, saying, “Running it is always a lot of fun to see what the art students and Dumbach kids can come up with. I think it’s an opportunity for everyone to exercise, like, their creativity and just have fun around Halloween. And, obviously it’s a chaotic three days, but it’s all in good fun.”