MAC Kicks Off the Weekend with Carnival on the Mall
Brandon Burgess
A night of whirling teacups, sugary candy and buttery popcorn, topped with giant stuffed animals equals a night full laughter and fun.
On Friday, Sept. 13, Manchester Activities Council hosted their very first carnival. The idea came last year when the club sent out a survey to students asking what they would like to see happen on campus. Later that year at their spring conference they chose the idea of the carnival. “I think we chose it because of the teacups, honestly,” said Erin Brock, senior.
The event itself was comprised of the iconic twirling teacups, Skee-Ball, the strong-man game with the objective to hit the bell, basketball, soccer darts, and many more classic carnival games. Not only were there carnival games, but also oversized stuffed animals, and their smaller stuffed siblings. “My favorite game was the speed challenge where I could race my friends,” said Haley Fellabaum.
The event was one of the more large-scale events MAC has put on, the culmination of time and huge effort. It was so large that the event even had volunteers from the North Manchester community. “I can tell that MAC put effort into making this event fun, they obviously put effort into making this event even happen,” said Maria Dalman, sophomore. Would MAC would put on a similar event in the future?
“Absolutely!” said Sam Alley, the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership Development. “If it’s successful and students want it again, then absolutely yes.” Erin Brock agreed. “One
hundred percent, it’s possible,” she said. “We would absolutely do this again.”
Students who attended the carnival had nothing but good things to say about it. One of the biggest things people enjoyed was the race to acquire 100 tickets to win the big stuffed animals. The biggest ones, however, were gone within the first hour. Taylor Gibson, sophomore, expressed her disappointment. “I was so frustrated,” she said. “I was working up to 100 to get one of those bears, but I had to settle for a unicorn!”
Carnival games and prizes were accompanied by food, but the event didn’t have typical carny greasy food. “My favorite part of the carnival was the cotton candy and the popcorn!” Dalman said.
The crown jewel of the event was the teacups. “I love that they had a ride that you could find at a real carnival,” Fellabaum said. MAC members had been hoping to get teacups for years and the time finally presented itself.
Members of the campus community responded greatly to the carnival and enjoyed the event. “I really just love that I got to spend the whole night with my friends at a mini carnival,” Gibson said.