As many of you already know the University of Arizona prides itself on its long lasting traditions that alumni and current students can both enjoy. U of A holds the largest student-run carnival in the nation every spring semester, “Spring Fling." Spring Fling has been a tradition for many decades on campus and brings so much excitement and joy to the mall, students can hardly think about anything else (well maybe finals but that’s no fun). Greek members get together throughout the week to pair up with another chapter and attend events together, which is a fun way to meet fellow Greek members. Aside from Greek life, there are other traditions that have grown from spring fling as well. Over forty years of tradition has brought us to where we are today.
The Rides
One of the obvious things that we all love about Spring Fling is the rides! With over 40 fun rides that are set up on the mall there is more than enough to do. I love rides but can be a little scared when it comes to big ones. I figured the rides at U of A for Spring Fling would be small and dingy and not scary at all. I am proud to say that the rides we set up here are no joke and will make even the bravest of wildcats scared.
The Food
Like I said this is a student-run carnival so I didn’t expect the various clubs and organizations on campus to have very good food…of course I was wrong. The food at Spring Fling is nothing to sneeze at, and very affordable too! There are more than 20 different kinds of food booths so there is a tasty treat for everyone. Since everything is student run and so many clubs and honoraries use this opportunity to fund raise you know your funnel cake or street taco is going to a better cause than your stomachs happiness.
The Games
I love carnival games even though I am not very good at them. Spring Fling is a carnival that doesn’t disappoint when it comes to carnival games. I actually managed to find a game I was good at last year and won a prize. Sometimes you just have to bear down and keep your eye on the rubber ducky.
Live Music
Anywhere with live music is usually a good time and Spring Fling never disappoints. Most of the live music is volunteered since the goal of Spring Fling is to raise money for our various clubs and organizations but live music just adds so much more excitement and good vibes than recorded music in my opinion. It also just means a lot to have people from the community coming to help and make it a more enjoyable experience for everyone.
This tradition at the University of Arizona is one of my absolute favorite because it is completely run by our very own students and all of the proceeds pretty much go back to what makes the students happy: their clubs, honoraries and organizations that they have made lifelong friends in. Alumni, people of the community, and of course current wildcats all look forward to this time of year to take a break from the daily grind and have some fun with one another. Carnivals have always been a fun place to go but when it is directly on the mall and completely student run it doesn’t get much better than that.
