The excitement on campus during opening week was not limited to the classroom as students and faculty gathered to have some fall fun with games, snacks, socializing, and even a raffle during the Carnival Palooza.

“What better way to start the quarter than a carnival?” said Yuan Fernandez Granil, an advisor within the Programming & Marketing Leadership department. Spurred on by the success of a similar event that took place during last year’s Thunderweek, Fernandez Granil decided to replicate the theme, as Autumn is the peak season for carnivals.

The Carnival Palooza took place on Oct. 1 from 11:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m. in Building 8. Students and faculty alike enjoyed traditional fair games such as Ring Toss and Darts. Every attendee was given ten yellow tickets that they could spend on any game they wished, and in return, any points they scored while playing would get them red tickets that could be entered into the raffle.

Stevyn Lang, a Highline College student, had her eye on one particular raffle prize: the digital camera. “The carnival is actually really fun,” she said when asked about the event. “Surprisingly I won enough tickets to hopefully get what I want.”

While hosting carnivals just for the sake of itself can be fun, the reason that multiple departments across Highline converged to make this possible was to celebrate the beginning of the quarter in a stress-free way that anyone could participate in.

Samy Bellal, also a Highline College student, felt like he was a part of something bigger than himself while attending the Carnival Palooza. “It’s really cool,” he exclaimed. “I like being a part of a community because I get to notice stuff happening and I want to join. I didn’t have that in the past. My favorite game was the dart board. It’s the only game here I’m actually good at. I wouldn’t change anything about the carnival. I like it the way it is.”

Between the balloons and popcorn, the raffle and the temporary tattoos, and the Dolly Parton playlist, it truly did feel like a real carnival that all of its participants enjoyed. Fernandez Granil plans on replicating this event annually, so, “If any programs would like to collaborate at an event like this for next year’s fall Thunderweek … let’s work together to create a grand carnival with more activities!”