During my four years at Ohio State, the one thing that has impressed me most about campus life is the variety of student events. With things like Welcome Week, Free Concerts, and all the various Beat Michigan activities, students really have no excuse for boredom. But as much as I love some of the aforementioned activities, by my senior year the traditional festivities were taking on a bit of the “been there, done that” tone in my mind, and I was left desiring something new. Then, this weekend, an event completely blew me away: The CarnOval.
For those of you who somehow missed this veritable fantasy-land of child-like delight, the event took all the nostalgia of a mid-Summer town carnival and transplanted it directly onto the South Oval. It came complete with a Ferris wheel, swing ride and a multitude of classic carnival games, where students could win tickets for raffle prizes. These game booths were staffed by members of OSU’s student organizations, who used the opportunity to recruit new members and discuss their group with the public.
I had the distinct privilege of working the high striker game, where I got to watch hundreds of macho men elevate a steel ball with a hammer in an attempt to both hit a bell and score points with their girlfriends. About an hour into my shift at the booth, a cigarette smoking “carnie” known only as Bill snuck up behind me, shaking my shoulders and shouting, “Hell of a game, huh!” Right then and there, I knew that the CarnOval had me hooked.
If anything, the event was too popular. The line for the food tent of carnival treats, such as funnel cakes and cotton candy, quickly grew to more than 50 yards. And the ticket boxes for the raffles were quickly filled with entries, all but eliminating my chance of winning prizes such as “The Notebook” on DVD.
But behind every great festival, there is a great team. And in the case of the CarnOval, that dynamic duo was John Reid and Jackie Bardosi from the Major Campus Events Committee. If you see either of these “architects of fun” (as I call them) around campus, do yourself a favor and stop to shake their hand. John said the whole idea for the CarnOval came from a contest last summer to design a new event for the students. Several months of hard work paid off on Friday, as the event went off without a hitch.
When asked about the prospects for CarnOval 2010, Reid was optimistic. Based on Friday’s resounding success, he has been told by some that future demand will likely be so high that it will be impossible to not make CarnOval a yearly event.
Rod Swain is a senior in international studies. He can be reached at [email protected].
