A year of successful University Program Board Late Nite events culminates tonight in Lot C1 near Irving Arena. The third annual Ball State Late Nite Carnival is set to begin at 9 p.m. and well run well into the night, ending at 1 a.m.
"Late Nite at Ball State, with additional funding by Student Government Association and UPB, are essentially bringing a state fair atmosphere to Ball State's campus without the extreme costs involved," event organizer Amy Rosenquist said. "It's the biggest end of the year student-run celebration on campus."
Rosenquist, UPB graduate assistant, said the carnival would include nine rides, all of which are free, including the Zipper, Super Slide and the Millennium. Free games include Shooting Gallery, Reaction Attraction and a "Cow Milking Contest."
Late Nite Director Sara Shelton said the games available at this year's carnival were more akin to traditional carnival activities than they had been in the past.
"We always have pretty high quality games, but these are the kinds of games you'd see at a county fair," Shelton said. "Trailers on wheels with windows they open up and that sort of thing."
As in past years, Late Nite will provide free Pepsi products, snow cones and cotton candy. Elephant ears will be available for $1 and, for the first time, Domino's pizza will be sold for $2 a slice.
Rosenquist said the average number of students attending a typical Late Nite event was 910, but UPB officials expect this year's Late Nite Carnival to attract more than 7,000 students.
According to Late Nite statistics, the 2004 carnival attracted 6,146 students; however, inclement weather limited the 2005 carnival to 2,500 attendees.
"When you factor in the fact that last year there were tornado warnings in surrounding counties, we still considered it a very good turnout," Shelton said.
While scattered rain is forecasted for tonight, Rosenquist said the carnival was set to go on as planned.
"As long as the rides can be run safely, we will operate," Rosenquist said. "Should severe weather occur, the rain date is Saturday, April 22, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m."
Senior and two-year carnival attendee Matt Thomas said the 2004 Late Nite Carnival "was on a nice night, but it was overcrowded and some of the lines were hours long for one ride."
In order to remedy this, UPB has scheduled pre-registration for the Late Nite Carnival from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. today in LaFollette Complex on the first floor concourse, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. between Teachers College and the Art and Journalism Building and between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Pruis Hall box office. At the Atrium, Carter, Ball State's "Hot Dog Man," will give free hot dogs to the first 300 students to register.
"The goal of Late Nite is to provide a safe and entertaining environment for Ball State students," Shelton said, "and the carnival is supposed to be kind of an end the year bash for school as well as Late Nite. I think that definitely portrays our goal."
The Late Nite Carnival is free to all Ball State students who provide a valid ID. Guests who come with a student will be admitted for $5.
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