A Spring Carnival & Reunion Weekend Primer for Parents
Spring Carnival is one of Carnegie Mellon’s longest running and most beloved traditions. It began more than 100 years ago, with roots in “Qualification Day,” when freshmen plebes were officially “accepted,” and in the May Festival of the Margaret Morrison Carnegie College.
In 1920, the tradition grew into Campus Week and the first Buggy Sweepstakes were held with crates and rain barrels on wheels. A Campus Queen was voted on annually for several decades. The last Campus Week took place in 1929. Float parades, which began in the 1930s, became Booth in the 1950s, the same decade that the popular canoe tilt evolved into plank jousting, where teams tried to knock each other off something. The last Campus Queen was crowned in the 1970s, and programming shifted to become more entertainment-based. An Activities Board (AB) was established and began organizing concerts that have featured everyone from B.B. King to Mac Miller.
The modern Spring Carnival and Reunion Weekend—this year held on April 11-13, 2019—consists of 100+ events, many of which are planned and executed by students. Many alumni come back for the Spring Carnival festivities and special Reunion Weekend events, adding to the collegiate atmosphere. Each year has a theme; 2019 is “Planet Earth.”
For many students, Carnival actually starts the Friday of the week before for “Move On,” when student organizations building booths move their supplies, materials, tools and pre-fab components onto Midway. Build Week follows with the grand opening of Midway on Thursday afternoon of Carnival weekend.
The highlights of the annual Spring Carnival include:
Midway: Located in the College of Fine Arts parking lot and providing the backdrop for Spring Carnival, Midway hosts Booth (see below) and features carnival rides, concessions, musical acts, improv comedy troupes and other performances.
Buggy (also called Sweepstakes): Since 1920, this unique race has zoomed around Flagstaff Hill next to the CMU campus during Spring Carnival. It is part uphill relay race (in which the vehicle and driver are pushed by runners) and part downhill gravity race, with exciting turns and speeds up to 35 mph.
Booth: One of the biggest showpieces of Spring Carnival, these student-built, multi-level structures are designed around a theme and include interactive games and elaborate decorations. Booths are judged in four categories: fraternity, sorority, independent and blitz (smaller booths). Alpha Phi Omega builds a non-competing concession stand and all the proceeds go to charity.
Mobot: A relative newcomer to Carnival, Mobot is for undergraduate students—and alumni—and made its debut in 1994. In this timed event, autonomous robots try to pass through gates in order to reach the finish line. Prizes are awarded to the first-, second- and third-place finishers, as well as for Open Class, Judges’ Choice, Course Record and MoboJoust. 2019 is Mobot’s 25th anniversary, so be sure to check out the schedule for details about special events.
Scotch’n’Soda: As one of the nation's oldest student theatre organizations, Carnegie Mellon’s Scotch'n'Soda Theatre is a student-run group dedicated to the development of theatrical works and to educating the campus community on all aspects of theatre. Its biggest show is held during Spring Carnival, with multiple performances occurring throughout the weekend. The 2019 Spring Carnival show is “Mamma Mia.”
Other activities that are open to everyone during Spring Carnival include performances by the Kiltie Band, the CMU Alumni Association’s tents at the preliminary Buggy heats (where you can enjoy a donut, fruit and drink) and Midway (with lots of activities throughout the weekend, including Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, student demos, kids’ events and a Wellness Tent), the Alumni Association’s All-Campus Lunch, as well as lots of food, fun and fellowship opportunities for students with alumni, faculty and staff, and each other.
Learn more about the 2019 Carnival events here.
A Glimpse of Carnival Past
A buggy from back in the day.
Jousting at Spring Carnival.