A night of medieval magic earns national recognition

Binghamton University’s Late Nite program claimed top honors from the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA), earning the coveted Social Program of the Year award for the Mid-Atlantic Region. The recognition celebrates Late Nite’s imaginative and immersive event, “Noctilucia,” a Renaissance Faire–style experience that transported students into a world of medieval wonder.

The award recognizes a program that has “significantly impacted campus life and generated substantial interest in the campus community.” Binghamton earned the honor as the top program among institutions from the entire Mid-Atlantic region, including New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, District of Columbia and Ontario, Canada.

Held on campus on March 29 as part of the Late Nite weekend series, “Noctilucia” dazzled attendees with its blend of historical flair and immersive engagement. Planned and coordinated by students and led by Joshua Rivera, a senior who serves as an event coordinator for Late Nite, the event was designed as an immersive Renaissance Faire experience, complete with a quest guide, boss fights, crafts and more. Late Nite staff were given character names, stories and titles to help immerse students in a night of fun and adventure throughout The Union.

Inspired by his own hobbies of world-building, writing and storytelling, Rivera dreamed up the concept of “Noctilucia,” drawing on his previous work to build out an immersive medieval fantasy world for Late Nite’s event.

“All the writing I did was pre-existing work, kind of just adapted into a more advanced form,” Rivera explained. “I took my writing and put it straight in, went in line with a theme and for each staff member I gauged their personalities and what their interests were. Based on that, I created for them a real character to play in this world.”

The NACA award highlights excellence in campus programming and honors events that foster community, innovation and student involvement. Late Nite’s “Noctilucia” stood out among submissions from colleges across the Mid-Atlantic region for its originality, execution, and impact.

“We’re focused on building immersive experiences, and I think that’s what we’ve done with our Renaissance Fair events,” Campus Activities Coordinator Alyssa Whitehead said. “For that event to win an award, it shows what this programming can be and what we want every Saturday night to look like — something that every student can enjoy.”

Late Nite, a staple of Binghamton’s weekend campus life, works to offer engaging, inclusive and alcohol-free programming that brings students together in meaningful ways. It also creates community and a place to belong for all students.

“‘Noctilucia’ is the Latin translation of ‘night light,’” Rivera said. “In my writing, it’s meant to be a home for people who are lost. I feel like I’ve truly found my home at Late Nite. I finally feel this sense of belonging, surrounded by people who I care about and care about me.”

Late Nite hosted a second Renaissance Fair-themed adventure in September, and attendance nearly doubled from the inaugural event. Planning and executing something different nearly every Saturday of the academic year, Late Nite continues to introduce new and innovative programming for students.

“I’m most proud of the growth that we’ve seen, both from our student leadership and staff as well as our programs and attendance,” Whitehead said. “They have this passion that turns into better engagement with students on Saturday nights and it makes it a more welcoming place to be for the folks who are coming in. People really want to be a part of what we are building, and I think that reflects what we’re trying to do on every level.”