Concordia University Softball Team Hosts Labor Day Carnival
At one end of the Concordia University athletic field in Ann Arbor, children and their parents waited to step into the petting zoo. On the other end of the field, Shaun Garth Walker performed contemporary and classic tunes on stage. All the while, children ran from game to game and one bright, bouncy, inflatable contraption to the next.
The Concordia University softball team is hosting its first Labor Day carnival today, and there are plenty of activities for every member of the family, including a fireworks display at dark.
“It’s really neat because I didn’t expect so many things here,” said Amanda Goniea.
Goniea, her husband, and two small children had driven from Dearborn to attend the event.
“We were looking for local Labor Day activities for the family. So we thought this would be cool. It turned out all right,” she said, watching the rest of her family interact with the bunnies, goats and ducks in the petting zoo.
While the softball team members hope to make money for equipment and their annual spring break tournament, their goals are not strictly financial.
“We were looking to get people in the community more aware of Concordia, get them here on campus with their families. We thought what better way than to offer them a family event for Labor Day,” explained women's softball coach and carnival organizer Marissa Young.
As if putting together a carnival wasn’t an accomplishment in itself, Young has done the nearly impossible—she has managed to bring back the first fireworks show to Ann Arbor in years. The show is slated to be 15-minutes long and serve as the capper to the fundraiser.
Photo slideshow by Angela Cesere
Entertainment continues throughout the day with scheduled performances by the Ragbirds and Ben Hardt and His Symphony. There are pony rides for the children, and plenty of games, including a dunking booth. You can also meet the softball team as they help run the carnival.
The carnival runs until dark and will be immediately followed by the fireworks. Concordia University is located at 4090 Geddes Road. Admission is $10 for adults; kids age 2-9, $5; kids age 1 & under, free.
Photo captions:
Top: Children wait for their turn to pet the animals, including these Pekin ducks brought in by "A Petting Farm-Ponies-Events" at the Family Fun Labor Day Carnival at Concordia University in Ann Arbor today. Mark Bialek | Special to AnnArbor.com
Left: Jeni Bollenbacher, a Concordia student from Edwardsburg, gets dunked at the Family Fun Labor Day Carnival at Concordia University in Ann Arbor today. Players were on hand to help raise money for the Concordia softball team. Mark Bialek | Special to AnnArbor.com
Comments
silodog
Mon, Sep 7, 2009 : 6:29 p.m.
I was disappointed. It was advertised as running from noon until dark. We arrived at 5pm in time to see the truck drive away with the animals. The dunking booth was unmanned and drained. Actually none of the games were manned, and the kids/parents had to work out whose turn was next - which wasn't that bad given the smallish crowd. Within the next hour the inflatables were being deflated. And by 6:30, through no fault of the carnival, it began to rain and the craft vendors began folding shop. Though we were told there would still be fireworks around 9pm, we left too. What had they thought people would do from 6 until 9?