Special Olympics Pennsylvania Fall Festival Returns to Villanova University for 38th Consecutive Year

VILLANOVA, Pa. (October 26, 2026)-Villanova University will host Special Olympics Pennsylvania's (SOPA) annual Fall Festival -the largest student-run Special Olympics event in the world-from November 13-15, marking the 38^th consecutive year Fall Festival has been held at the University.

More than 1,100 athletes will participate in the three-day event, alongside 400 coaches, 1,500 volunteers from Villanova'sInclusion Crew, 270 Local Program Hosts and 2,500 general volunteers, all representing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The event is run by more than 100 student members of Villanova's Special Olympics Committee and is assisted by SOPA.

The theme for this year's Fall Festival is "Sail the Coastal Sea, Chart Your Course to Victory." By celebrating adventure and determination, participants are invited to embrace their own journey, navigate their unique individual course and discover where their path will lead. Colorful thematic elements will adorn campus as reminders that, like waves shaping a shoreline, the memories and friendships created at Fall Festival leave a lasting impact on all who are involved.

"Fall Festival is about so much more than a weekend of competition. It's about connection, inclusion, service and the joy that comes from uplifting one another," said Steve Koch, associate director for leadership programs in the Office of Student Involvement. "Every year, we see that spirit in our students, athletes, families and volunteers, creating moments of great accomplishment and fostering genuine, meaningful connection."

The three-day event will feature competitions in bocce, flag football, long-distance running/walking, powerlifting, soccer and volleyball, which take place Friday through Sunday. Utilizing both Villanova and Cabrini campuses, sport-adjacent programs and initiatives will be interspersed throughout the weekend, including a Unified Sports Experience Home Run Derby and Yard Games, Olympic Town and enhanced offerings from the Healthy Athletes initiative, which promotes health and well-being and provides clinical screenings for athletes. At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, the Dixon Center on Cabrini Campus will host the annual Victory Jamboree-one of Fall Festival's marquee events.

Bookending the final award presentations on Sunday, dual closing ceremonies will be held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., with food and final remarks to close out the festivities.

Thousands of volunteers will serve in numerous capacities throughout the event, including as officials, athlete escorts, award presenters and in administrative support services. Additional volunteers are welcome and spectators are encouraged to visit competition venues on or near campus to support the athletes. For additional information, please email [email protected].

About Special Olympics Pennsylvania: Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) provides year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University's Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges-the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation's top universities, Villanova supports its students' intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu .