Ball State’s normally drab and empty C-1 commuter parking transformed into a brightly colored, spinning wonderland for Late Night’s Spring Carnival.
In the days preceding, towering carnival rides stood seductively above the trees lining McKinley Ave.’s northern route out of campus.
Those who had preregistered were granted entry at 6 p.m., an hour before the official start time.
Students gained free admission with a Ball State student ID and guests were charged five dollars.
When the sun went down, the multi-colored lights of the attractions shone through the night and delighted screams could be heard from John E. Worthen Area and beyond.
Attendance was down this year due to inclement weather. Temperatures hovered around freezing and precipitation switched between rain, sleet and snow.
Some ride shutdowns alarmed carnival-goers, but organizers maintain that almost all closures were safety precautions. Rides would stop during times of freezing rain and passengers would be unloaded. After the weather had passed, workers would perform a test run to ensure all worked appropriately, and rides would resume once workers approved the ride as safe and functional.
However, the Ferris Wheel did shut down for the night due to the weather.
Despite the harsh conditions, organizers tallied that 5,140 students attended.
“The number is still really good for the weather we did have,” Senior public relations major and Late Night Carnival publicity coordinator Kelsey McPheeters said.
Last year Carnival drew around 6,300 attendees, which also suffered because the event was held on its “rain date.” McPheeters said that a normal year would draw around 8,000 students.
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