On Thursday nights in the Erb Memorial Union, the Redwood Auditorium smells like fresh popcorn and is filled with over a hundred University of Oregon students. Attendees dance to music and socialize while they wait in line for Ducks After Dark to begin. The weekly event is open to all UO students with a valid ID and includes a free screening of a recent movie, as well as free popcorn and soda and creative themed games.
Ducks After Dark attendees participate in activities at the Infinity War showing on September 27, 2018. (Maddie Knight/Emerald)
The first event of the year occurred on Thursday, Sept. 27 and centered around a screening of Avengers: Infinity War. Ducks After Dark offered superhero-themed activities that students could participate in prior to the start of the movie. The activities allowed students to make their own superhero shields and knock down stacked green cups with a green hacky sack in a game known as Hulk Smash.
“Our purpose is to provide something for the students to come to that reduces risky behavior. We want to give students an area where they won’t be in that type of environment,” said Chantel Kaawa, the chair of the Ducks After Dark program. “Students should come because it’s free. You are paying all this money for tuition and it goes to this — it is for you.”
The event brings together a diverse group of people, with attendees ranging from first-year to fifth-year students. Kate Walters, a second-year student, has been attending the event since winter term of her freshman year. “I am not a huge partier, and this seemed like a really cool alternative. I love the sense of community here, even before the movie starts,” she said.
Ducks After Dark attendees participate in activities at the Infinity War showing on September 27, 2018. (Maddie Knight/Emerald)
The Ducks After Dark staff is usually accompanied by a sponsor at each screening — this past Thursday featured the Residence Hall Association. The RHA has sponsored Ducks After Dark in the past, including last year’s showing of the widely popular movie Black Panther. Sponsoring the event allowed RHA staff to have a table inside the Redwood Auditorium where they could give out free snacks, let students spin a wheel for prizes and interact with students who do not live in the residence halls.
Jackson Smith, president of the RHA said Ducks After Dark is a great study break. “If you have a lot of stuff to do throughout the course of your week, Ducks After Dark is something you can look forward to,” he said.
The program will continue screening movies every Thursday in the Redwood Auditorium for the rest of the year. Next week’s event will include more free snacks, games and a screening of Ocean’s 8 at 8:15 p.m.
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