Get Enchanted at Wash U's Annual Thurtene Carnival

With Thursday's rain and Friday's cold temperatures, it hasn't quite felt like carnival weather, but that isn't stopping the organizers of Washington University's Thurtene Carnival.

The free event started Friday and runs through Sunday on the Wash U campus. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

According to Wash U, Thurtene is the oldest and largest student-run carnival in the nation and is overseen by an honorary society made up of juniors. The event features rides, food and theatrical entertainment.

This year, the carnival’s overall theme is “Stay Enchanted,” a nod to the generations who have come to enjoy the annual event. The carnival falls on alumni weekend and 80,000 people are expected to enjoy the carnival over the weekend.

“Our theme serves as a celebration for parents who’ve been coming to the carnival since they were children,” said Thurtene public relations co-chair Emilio Ramos, a junior majoring in communication design, in a press release. “We’re inviting them to come relive the mystical fervor of the carnival, now with their own children. We hope to continue the carnival’s honored tradition of uniting the university community with St. Louis citizens and local businesses.” 

Admission to the carnival is free, but patrons should bring cash for rides, food and to see some of the plays inside the facades.

The charity that will benefit from this year’s festivities is Provident, a nonprofit organization that offers community programs from after-school activities to a suicide prevention hotline.

See our previous coverage: 

• Wash U's Thurtene Carnival Begins Friday (2012)
• Thurtene Carnival in Under Two Minutes
• Wash U Carnival to Donate Proceeds to University City Non-Profit