For the past seven years, Utah Tech University has hosted a carnival, car show and tailgate throughout Homecoming Week. This year was planned a little differently.
This year, Homecoming Week fell on the same week that the Utah Tech Events and Promotion office usually hosts their annual Tricks & Treats event.
Tricks & Treats is an event that is open to the community. Various booths are run by Utah Tech athletic teams where the players volunteer to pass out candy to children all decked out in their costumes.
The Utah Tech alumni staff expressed their excitement that this year’s Homecoming carnival could be such a large event, featuring all three of the festivities in one place at the same time.
“It’s perfect, just a huge celebration to really promote and embrace the Utah Tech Trailblazer spirit, not only for students but the community too,” said Isabelle Peck, events and promotions assistant.
At the carnival, children from the community, their parents and students enjoyed the numerous games, food trucks and vendors offered. At the carnival, attendees could play games like spin the wheel and bottle ring toss in order to win tickets for prizes like stuffed animals or candy. For those who preferred a more calm environment, the car show was a slower pace.
David Bowler, adviser of the Utah Tech alumni ambassadors, said in previous years, the car show and the carnival were two separate events until the staff started asking themselves, “Why don’t we just put them together to make one grand celebration?”
“Having all the events together today with the different organizations is like one big happy family,” Bowler said.
Brook Sullivan, the assistant director of alumni relations, said all the events being held together were a good mix so everyone could find a little something that interested them.
Vendor Wendy Walton, the owner of Dixie Pixie Face Painting, had a long line of carnivalgoers at her booth throughout the entire event. She is a former Dixie State University alumna and is always excited to return to campus.
“I get invited to paint at around three Utah Tech events a year,” Walton said. “I get so excited to see repeat customers that come see me while I’m on campus.”
Though Utah Tech invited a few outside vendors, most of its staff were Utah Tech volunteers from various associations. Each one put in some serious elbow grease in order to make the carnival better than the year before, which is the progress they strive to make every year to make it a more memorable event for attendees.
