Despite gloomy weather and smaller attendance than last year, the Late Nite program board considers the annual Carnival a success.
Hannah Harrison, Late Nite adviser and assistant director for programs, said she received positive feedback from people who attended the Carnival.
"The students were very excited we had it two days," she said. "A lot of people came back on Saturday."
Harrison said the weather likely affected attendance Friday night.
"Last year, we had just under 7000 people and we had perfect weather," she said. "Around 3000 came [Friday]."
Even so, Harrison said she still considered the turnout to be positive.
"The 2005 Carnival was the last time it rained," she said. "That year we only had 2000 people."
Harrison said she didn't know yet how many people attended Saturday and that the Late Nite board is considering making the Carnival a two-day event again next year. The board will look at feedback from Late Nite surveys and from students and staff that helped, she said.
Harrison said she thinks the two-day version presents a good opportunity for students. Students may not have to miss the Carnival if they have two opportunities to go, she said.
Freshman Kylie Wells said she enjoyed the Carnival more on Saturday than Friday.
"[Friday] night, it was way too crowded," she said.
Wells and her friend, freshman major Lindsay McMillan, said they thought the weather might have contributed to the smaller crowd.
McMillan also had another theory.
"People are probably at [Indiana University's] Little 5 or [Purdue University's] Grand Prix," she said.
Harrison said she didn't think those events had a big affect on attendance.
"People will likely attend things at their own university," she said. "This is their school and I would hope they would want to attend events here."
Harrison said the consideration of the Little 500, Grand Prix and Relay for Life being on the same weekend as the Carnival wouldn't have made a difference.
"The Carnival is always the last weekend before the last week of classes," she said. "We wouldn't have planned it any differently and we won't next year, either."
Harrison said students seemed to enjoy the new rides, like Power Surge, as well as classics like the Merry-Go-Round.
Senior psychology major Theresa Sherron said the Power Surge was her favorite this year.
"Every year they have a couple of different rides," she said. "They always have the standard rides, but there are other ones that change. It's nice because it's a little bit the same, but it's new too."
Freshman nursing major Becca Howard said she decided to check out the Carnival because it was free.
"I thought it was going to be cheesy," she said. "[The Late Nite board] exceeded my expectations."
Howard said she went to the Carnival on Friday and Saturday even though the weather was less than perfect. She said the overcast weather Saturday was actually nice.
"There [was] a nice breeze," she said. "It's nice for the sun to not be out and make it hot."
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