Back and bigger than ever, Lions Carnival draws huge crowds
Bert Marissen and Steve Schilstra of the Fenwick Lions were full of superlatives for last weekend’s annual parade and carnival, making its return after a two-year pandemic absence.
See this story as it appeared in the June 1 2022 issue of the Voice“It was a crazy weekend,” Marissen told the Voice, “community support at its best. We had about triple the attendance of the 2019 carnival.”
Close to 1000 vouchers for the carnival were sold in advance of the weekend.
“We had fantastic sales and great sponsorships from local businesses. That gave us the opportunity to splurge a little bit on this carnival. Plus we had about three dozen entries in our parade on the Friday night,” said Marissen.
“After Covid, people were eager to get out and do something, and the carnival was a great family opportunity for that,” said Schilstra. “The fireworks on the Saturday night were super. Red Boss really outdid themselves. It was a terrific show.”
The fields at the back of the park provided plenty of space for vehicles, though with only one road serving as entrance and exit to Centennial, it was a slow procession getting in and out.
A new splash pad still under construction and fenced off took up some space that previously was used for carnival rides and games and made for unusually cramped quarters. The grounds were packed when the Voice visited on Saturday afternoon, with long lines to buy tickets and get onto rides. There was also a far larger percentage of younger children compared to previous years.
Mayor Marvin Junkin and Ward 1 Councillor Wayne Olson were spotted near the Ferris wheel.
“It’s great to see such a large turnout to this event,” said Junkin, “and to see so many kids having such a great time on the rides. I’d like to extend a big thank you to the Fabulous Fenwick Lions for putting together such a great weekend of events.”
Olson said that the Lions could be counted on to put on a great show.
“It was wonderful to see so many families who deserve a chance to be out connecting with the community and creating lasting memories,” he said. “The Lions are a terrific example of volunteer leadership in our town. They come through time after time for us. It was a real pleasure to meet several new members of the club.”
The only blemish on the weekend was a teenage perp who thought it might be funny to target some attendees with pepper spray late Saturday night, on Church Street near the park entrance. A few people suffered eye irritation from the stunt.
“We talked to the police, and they told us they know who it is,” said Marissen. “I don’t know if they apprehended the guy or not. Police were on site, and we had the fire department respond quickly to contain the incident, and treat those affected. It was a minor event that didn’t ruin the evening.”
Police continue to seek the teenager who sprayed the noxious substance, and encourage anyone with information to contact them.
