The Huntington YMCA will host its annual Memorial Day weekend carnival from May 23 to May 26, with proceeds supporting the YMCA’s scholarship fund to help local families send their children to camp.
The carnival, a longstanding event, will be held at 60 Main St. in Huntington.
“It’s a holiday weekend and really kicks open the summer months, and the proceeds from the carnival do benefit our YMCA scholarship fund, which helps fund camp and program support services for local families in need, who can’t afford to send their kids to camp,” said Mary-Beth Coursen, vice president of marketing and communications at the YMCA, in an interview with South Shore Press.
To reach the most people, Coursen said the YMCA spreads the event over four days, allowing busy families to fit the carnival into their schedules and reducing the risk of inclement weather affecting the event.
In addition to traditional carnival fare, Coursen said participants can enjoy a “musical lineup for the whole weekend.” Live music will be performed on a side stage, with local community groups, such as previous participant School of Rock, scheduled to perform. Past events also included character meet-and-greets, such as with Princess and Taylor Swift.
Additionally, Coursen said Newton Shows, the provider of the carnival activities, will introduce a new ride this year called Tokyo Drift — “a fast spinning, thrilling ride” not meant for small children.
For food, Coursen said there will be carnival food and food trucks, along with refreshments like soda and lemonade.
The carnival schedule is as follows: Friday, May 23, from 6-10 p.m.; Saturday, May 24, from 1 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, May 25, from 1 to 10 p.m.; and Monday, May 26, from 1 to 6 p.m.
The Huntington YMCA is part of the YMCA of Long Island, which includes Bayshore, Glen Cove, Patchogue, and East Hampton.
“We all work together under one association, which is the YMCA of Long Island, basically to provide our mission, which is to provide healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility programs for our local communities,” Coursen said. One example is swimming lessons for kids, in harmony with National Water Safety Month in May.
Summer day camp will also begin next month, she said, noting that the carnival helps defray the costs of these services for those in need.
For more information, visit https://ymcali.org.