Carnival kicks off homecoming weekend

Correction: The original version of this blog post contained an error. Although individual organizers set personal goals for attendance at lower numbers, an official number for projected attendance was never released.

Blue and gold balloons created an arch over the opening to the Intramural Field as hundreds of spectators waited to enter the carnival that would kick off UCLA’s first homecoming weekend in seven years.

When the doors opened a little after 7 p.m., a wave of UCLA students, parents and siblings rolled onto the field above Parking Lot 7 where the event was held.

As music blared from the main stage located at the center of the carnival grounds, students and their family members enjoyed playing on the Velcro walls, inflatable obstacle courses and balloon popping contests provided for them at the event.

Andy Moon, a first-year biochemistry student, said he came down to the carnival just to see what homecoming was like.

After doing rounds at all of the booths and games at the carnival, including winning the balloon pop, Moon said he had a lot of fun playing all of the games and that he liked the tradition of homecoming.

Fourth-year political science student Pasha Jahangiri also attended the event just to see what it was like.
Jahangiri said he especially enjoyed playing the Quidditch drill in which he got to shoot a quaffle (a volleyball), through hoops, while having a broomstick in between his legs as a practice drill for the game out of the Harry Potter book series.

“I liked the Quidditch thing because you get to be like a kid again,” Jahangiri said. “I always see these guys around campus, and now I got to do it.”

The event could have had better marketing, however, Jahangiri said. Since the event was held on the same night as a soccer game in Drake Stadium and the closing game of the World Series, many people may have been deterred from coming.

“I think it’s a cool thing to bring to campus, but there could be more people here,” he said.

About 4,780 people attended the event.

For its first time, however, the carnival was impressive, Jahangiri said. He added that he could see potential for homecoming to be a long-standing tradition.

Darryl Buck, the parent of two UCLA students, was visiting the campus for Parents’ Weekend but stopped by the homecoming carnival and even gave the Velcro wall a try.

“This is a blast,” Buck said. “It’s not just something for students to do. I don’t know how many alumni are out here, but it’s definitely a nice tradition.”

Buck, who is an alumni of UC Berkeley, said his entire family is out here for the weekend, where UCLA will face off against his alma mater.

During the carnival, student leaders taught throngs of students and family members the steps to a flash mob dance that will be performed in the student section during the third quarter of tomorrow’s game.