The Eastern athletics department will attempt to bring tricks, treats and basketball to children and students Wednesday night.

The Blue Madness—Trick-or-Treat night at Lantz Arena will begin at 7 p.m. for the kids’ trick-or-treat portion. 

The student portion will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Anthony Orlando, the director of athletic marketing and Eastern athletics, said the athletics department wanted to have something for the community and Eastern

 students.

“Not everything we do here is just about students,” Orlando said.  “We like to reach out to the community and be integrated in the Charleston/Mattoon area.”

Orlando also said they wanted to get the community and students to interact with each other.

“We have the community side of things where families, parents, grandparents can bring out their grandkids or kids to trick or treat and interact with all our sports teams,” Orlando said.

Orlando said most of Eastern’s men’s and women’s sports team will be at the Halloween event to give out candy at the trick-or-treat stations.

Besides trick or treating, community children will have the opportunity to go pumpkin bowling, pumpkin golfing, bob for apples and meet Billy the Panther.

Students and adults will be able to participate in Blue Madness.  

Both men’s and women’s basketball teams will be competing in a slam-dunk contest and a three-point shoot out.