Fall carnivals have been a longtime staple of Vestavia Hills elementary schools. Games, friends, and of course, candy—what’s not to love? They’re the perfect way to get kids of all ages to gather outside of the classroom for a few hours of family-friendly fun.
This year, all three of the elementary schools, East, West, and Dolly Ridge, each threw their own carnivals in the weeks leading up to Halloween. With Wald Park being newly renovated and conveniently located right near the school, the West Carnival looked a little different from the time that any of our classes might’ve gone to West. This year, the West Carnival was held outside, and it was a spectacular night of spooky (and nostalgic) fun.
In one section of the open field, tents lined the border of the sidewalk, and games were set up in the middle. Inflatables donned the rest of the field, including everything from a bouncy house, a massive slide, sports, and jousting. The tents held classic carnival games, like ring toss, cake walk, and face painting. Many of the tent activities were worked by VHHS students.
‘Fun Fair First Aid’, a favorite of kids both now and back when we went to the carnival, has a slightly misleading name. You may be inclined to think that it’s just a first aid tent, but if you show up in need of real medical assistance, you will be left severely disappointed and untreated. Alice, a VHHS student running the tent, said, “Kids can come here to get their arm, their head, whatever, wrapped and gauzed and pretend like it’s bloody.” Although she didn’t go to West, she’s volunteered at the carnival for the past few years, and said that “this year has been really nice, especially being outside where you can see everyone, and the energy is really fun.”
Another carnival classic, the cake walk, was buzzing with commotion all night. Lisa, a parent volunteer, opened up about the preparation that went into this crowd favorite: “The students all donated cakes for the cake walk, and they did that last week, and the turnout has been huge. We’ve got a constant line, and everybody’s having a good time!”
Games and gauzes weren’t the only things that the tents and tables saw. For some local businesses such as Norris Orthodontics, the carnival was an opportunity to branch out and connect with the community. Dr. Don Norris explained that he has children who go to West and set up a table for marketing purposes. However, the table also served as a way to give away free hot chocolate. Norris noted, “It’s been pretty busy. There are more people than there is hot chocolate.” Having been to West's carnivals in the past, he described this year’s as “the best one yet”. He attributed this to the transition outdoors, saying, “Doing it outside has been really nice because it’s big and open.”
This fall tradition has blossomed and changed with us in many ways, but the heart of it has remained the same. In the grand scheme of things, the carnival is simply a night out playing games and eating cotton candy, but it’s also sure to be the root of fond childhood memories and Halloween highs.
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