Written By Josi Patti, Unionville Press
As soon as the clock struck 2:45 PM, there was a rise as kids sprang out of their seats in excitement. May 2, 2025, is when the annual Patton Carnival took place in all its vivacity. Endless streams of tents, prize games, raffles, and food consumed the parking lot of the middle school. The kids’ mouths were dyed blue from cotton candy as they hooted and hollered for prizes. The ticket card stand was booked; game after game wiped the cards clean and kept the generation of new ones coming. If you’ve never encountered the world of middle schoolers, then this was the time to take note. Though this carnival has been a recurring Friday bash for years, the appeal has not yet faded in the eyes of twelve to fourteen-year-olds. Even the entirety of the community decided to scope out the scene! Surprisingly, the older kids still made an appearance, trodding in straight over after school. Needless to say, the crowd did not disappoint this year, as if it ever did! It couldn’t have been possible without the help of all volunteers, many of which being high school students hoping to achieve National Honor Society hours. This afternoon into night ran smoothly amid the carnival chaos it put on. Running from 3 PM to 8 PM, the community came together sharing laughter, sun, and the general thrill of it all.
Don’t even get us started on raffle boxes. While the ticket bowl gets drawn, everyone waits in anticipation for their number to be shouted like the lottery from the microphone. What will they win? Maybe a basket of the best gift cards, an Xbox control set, or new AirPods paired with a brand new iPhone? The possibilities are endless, so people keep wishing on that four-leaf clover.
While running a stand, you’re bound to see and hear some obscure calls or actions from the kids. You might even run into a couple of teachers from a few years back. So many seniors went up to reminisce on the blissful times they had in their favorite teachers’ classrooms. In awe of the cotton candy machines, many middle school students, demanding to watch the fun, reported, “This is the coolest thing ever!” and “How does this machine even work?” The craziness ensued while managing the electric machine, obeying everybody’s orders, marking off cards, and managing money. Still, everyone ended up having smiles across their faces throughout the night. Even though middle school was not as long ago for older kids, watching the Patton carnival as a volunteer now sits differently than it did before. When approaching the site of the carnival, one high school volunteer exclaimed, “I remember coming to the carnival three years in a row just for the fun and games, and of course Rita’s!” According to the older kids, and still the kids currently, the food trucks were and are what make for the priceless (or not-so-much) involvement. No matter if you’re a volunteer or guest, this event of the year marks memories, builds strong connections, and is clearly never a dull experience.
