That Day the Carnival Came (Back) to Town
Balloon dogs, hot dogs, and real dogs (and a llama!) were all to be found this weekend as hundreds of families on both Pudong and Puxi campuses reveled at the Spring Carnival in a joyful return to pre-pandemic traditions. Even without a fire breather or Tilt-a-Whirl, our PTSA and parents outdid themselves by doubling as carnival barkers and chefs, operating game booths, spotting bouncy slides, and concocting treats from cotton candy to curry puffs.
Over in Pudong, the line was long for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to dunk a teacher (or principal or head of campus) into a water tank by throwing a tennis ball at just the right spot. Others tried their hand at launching an angry bird from a slingshot for a prize or sampled the variety of international snacks from local eateries. Meanwhile, the littlest ones gave their parents a start when they discovered the big bouncy slide was most fun if you jumped from the top onto the slide rather than sit down to slide. Fairgoers also had the chance to shake hands, er...wings, with our very own Eagle, who came out for a round of mini golf.
The festivities extended across the river one day later in Puxi, where beanbag throws and foam archery skills could win you a stuffed animal to take home. Normally energetic ES students sat statue-like long enough for a face painter to create a sparkly butterfly on their cheeks or to painstakingly craft a piece of DIY jewelry. Some decided it was safe to indulge on the barbecue skewers and homemade chili after and only after being rolled around in a big inflatable hamster ball. Once the rain sprinkles subsided, our very own high school musicians took the stage to entertain with their instruments or just their voices.
One Pudong eighth grader’s comment captured more than just the obvious: “I’ve been at SAS since fifth grade but this is my first carnival!” Similarly, the Puxi performers captured a collective sentiment of our newfound normalcy when they chose the upbeat pop song for their set list: “Happy.”
FESTIVITIES. EVERYDAY AT SAS.
