BOOM!

Families from all over Back Mountain gathered in the spirit of the season to watch the mad scientists of the Dead Alchemist Society at Misericordia University create disappearing cups, exploding pumpkins and sweet gummy bear death.

The 21st annual Things That Go Boom! In the Night! was held Wednesday in the outdoor Wells Fargo Amphitheater at Misericordia University.

Gift certificates from Fire & Ice on Toby Creek, candy baskets and other prizes were awarded by raffle.

Children had the chance to have colored slime made as souvenirs to take home.

And a Halloween-themed bake sale helped make the evening that much sweeter.

The witches in purple, sophomores Jenna Strubhar, Heather Marisico and Kathryn Heffner, created bubbling, smoking magic potions using giant test tubes, dry ice and a few secret ingredients. This was a new experiment the club added.

According to Dr. Anna Fedor, assistant professor of chemistry at Misericordia, students tried to make the event more visual this year.

The loud booms from blowing up the pumpkins sometimes scare the smaller children, she said. Because of that, it was decided to add more experiments involving smoke and lights to engage the younger audience.

All 45 members of the Dead Alchemist Society participated in some way. Some made pumpkins vomit, some made carnations and small pumpkins shatter like glass and still others created black snakes from a beaker.

The students performed glowing potions, urban myth food experiments, made pickles glow and incinerated gummy bears.

Volunteers from the crowd helped all evening.

Nicholas Mirigiliani, of Swoyersville, was chosen to be part of Dr. Fedor's pumpkin make-over team. Other volunteer mad scientist assistants included Ali Hood, Dallas High School; of Dallas, and Alanna Holmglen, who was visiting from Valhalla, New York.

The Hagenbaugh family has attended this event three years in a row. Parents Heather and Dave say it is a family tradition. Their son Cameron, 7, and their daughter Mackenzie, 6, look forward to the exploding pumpkins, Mackenzie's favorite part.