Syracuse University’s Winter Carnival is returning to brighten up the gloomy winter season. The festival opens Tuesday morning and runs through Feb. 23, aiming to offer a variety of activities to help students put on their winter jackets and enjoy the cold weather.

Originating in the 1930s, this annual event has coexisted with Syracuse Winterfest for decades, while remaining an integral part of the spring semester at SU. But despite its storied history, the carnival has evolved a lot over time.

“Originally, the event was created to motivate students living on South Campus to get over their winter blues,” said Carly Kaplan, member of the SU Traditions Commission executive board, in an email. “Over the decades, it has slowly moved to main campus.”

Kicking things off with hot chocolate on the Quad on Tuesday at 9 a.m., the carnival will feature both indoor and outdoor activities, including the Winter Carnival Dinner to celebrate opening night and laser tag to wrap up the week Saturday night.

Throughout the week, students can take a ride downtown to see what Winterfest has to offer if they wish, or stay on campus for a chili cook-off, ice carvings, snow sculptures, human dog sled races and more.

Mackenzie Mertikas, chief of staff at the SU Student Association, said between this year’s overall theme and its events, there’s a lot to look forward to.

“We are in love with our theme this year — Club Penguin — so that’s definitely one of the more exciting things for us,” she said, in an email. “The chili cook-off is super fun because all the recipes that are made are submitted by students and staff.”

Kaplan also praised the cook-off, which will take place on Thursday at 11 a.m. on the Huntington Beard Crouse Hall patio.

“It’s the best day of the semester,” she said. “Who doesn’t love trying 10 different chili’s?”

Tuesday’s Winter Carnival Dinner, available on campus, begins at 4:30 p.m. Students can fuel themselves at Brockway, Graham, Ernie Davis, Shaw, Sadler and Goldstein Dining, with the evening’s menu including a hot chocolate station, a variety of soups and fresh breads and butters.

After the dinner, students can go to Schine Underground for Trivia Night at 8 p.m., with groups of twos and fours competing for prizes.

From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, there will be giveaways and free food in Schine Atrium to celebrate the Winter Carnival Days. Festivities will wrap up Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium, with the A Cappella Council presenting its signature Cozy Cappella performance. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available at the concert.

There’s also a full slate of events scheduled for Friday night. At 8 p.m., Plant Night will take place in Goldstein Auditorium, where students will be able to make their own terrarium. Students are then invited to participate in the Glow in the Dark Late Night Skate Night from 9:30 p.m. to midnight at South Campus’ Tennity Ice Pavilion.

Students are also encouraged to bring their orange pride to Goldstein Auditorium on Saturday night for laser tag, where the SU-Duke basketball game will be screened in the background.

Seeing the week play out is exciting for the student organizations that helped facilitate this event, Mertikas said.

“We’ve been planning this week since October,” she said, “so it’s always really cool to see our ideas come to life.”

The longstanding SU tradition, Tradition Commissions members said, embodies everything that SU is — there’s a long history, a sense of community and a group of people who help continue its traditions.

Published on February 17, 2019 at 9:45 pm

gfpagano@syr.edu