Shuttle Service Available—

Carnival Packs St Rose Grounds…Again

By Kendra Bobowick

Do you recognize the person running The Scrambler, collecting tickets, or handing you a prize for the bull’s eye? Stewart Amusement Company crews running the carnival at St Rose through July 5 include many familiar faces.

Residents may spot a neighbor or old classmate behind the counter offering three tries to hit the target for a few dollars, for example, as they push through the overcrowded knot of carnivalgoers. This year’s amusements are working within a smaller space as St Rose school expansion work and the St Patrick’s Hall demolition take up room on the church grounds. Despite the squeeze, long lines wound around the waist-high gates surrounding rides. Brianne Moulder, Alyssa Koerber, Kaitlyn Sugarman, and Gabby Debartolomeo pointed at friends spinning around on The Cliff Hanger as they waited to kick off their shoes and strap into the ride.

Stepping off The Scrambler and pushing her hair back into place was Betsy Streck, who shared a spinning and rotating seat with her children Haley and Derek. The ride pushed revelers around as if inside a massive blender — their smiles a blur as the seats rushed by.

Moving through the crowd were flashes of bright pink or blue as children tried to keep their cotton candy from sticking to their fingers and cheeks. Raven and Rosie Connell shared a bench as they licked their fingers clean and grabbed for another tuft of candy. Behind them, the Ali Baba swung its riders up to the top of its arc, and swooped them down again as the “magic carpet” spun clockwise, then back again. In the queue with her face turned upward for a look at the ride she was about to fasten herself into was Kirsten Yapp. Was her expression etched with apprehension, or was the crease in her brow only curiosity?

Braving many of the rides without letting out even a gasp were Chase Hutchison, K.C. Condon, and Tyler Hanley, all shuffling to get ahead of one another for the rides. Across the crowd were Meghan Powers and Emma Kneisel, who stopped momentarily, prompting the crush of people to flow around them.

While spinning, twirling, and rapid rides held many guests’ attention, two young men in particular sought a burst of fun that required only a burlap sack and a brief climb up a ladder. Waiting their turn to rush down the long, wavy Super Slide were Graham Hubbert and Dillon Wikramanayake.

Pushing strollers, carrying purses stuffed with supplies for the potential messy hands, and chocolate or popcorn-stained faces their children would soon manage, parents hustled through the cramped walkways. Some lifting younger children onto their shoulders as they looked for friends, a quick place to rest and dig for a few dollars with the hopes of winning a prize, residents were enjoying the warm summer evening at the carnival Wednesday with their families or friends from school. Clusters of moms and dads gripped the outstretched hand of young children and hurried across Church Hills Road or down the sidewalk toward the St Rose parking lot earlier in the week. They need not have clogged the lots of local businesses or side streets, however. This year a shuttle is running between the high school lot and St Rose. The shuttle will be in service from 6 to 11 pm, running back and forth all night.

According to the company website, Stewartamusement.com, Stewart Amusement Company has been providing quality rides and attractions to many of the area’s most successful events since 1983. Serving Fairfield and New Haven Counties in Connecticut, and Westchester and Putnam Counties in New York, the company aims to provide the newest and safest amusements available.