The well-loved Our Lady of the Valley (OLV) annual carnival reopened this year for the first time since 2019. From May 10th-15th the rides came back and families and groups of friends flocked over for some fun! There were bracelet nights on Tuesday, Thursday, and some of Saturday and Sunday. It featured most of the same rides as usual, including the beloved Ferris Wheel and the Gravitron. The classic fried carnival foods (funnel cake, fried oreos, zeppoles, etc) and games were also huge hits!

However, there was one major difference: the prices. Wristbands cost thirty-five dollars: a large difference from the pre-pandemic cost of twenty or twenty-five dollars. Prices of individual tickets had also increased. Despite this, the carnival was extremely crowded, even on non-bracelet nights. Sophomore Kevin Matula says, “I had a great time, and the food was great. The rides were pretty fun, but kind of expensive. Overall, I would give my experience a 6.5/10.”