Asher Lubin | Staff Photographer

The lights were bright, the air contained that nostalgic, sickly sweet carnival smell, and the rain was pouring down. This past weekend WashU hosted its annual carnival, ThurtenE, celebrating philanthropic dedication to the greater St. Louis Area through their community partner, the Little Bit Foundation. The foundation focuses on serving under-resourced school communities, supporting students’ individual needs and goals, and celebrating their successes. WashU hopes that through ThurtenE, it can support not only the student body, but also the greater St. Louis area. 

ThurtenE is primarily organized and planned by 13 selected juniors. In addition, clubs and student organizations make up a large part of the festival through their booths and stands. ThurtenE is the oldest run student carnival in the country, dating back to 1907. While the premise of the carnival has changed over time, this student foundation continues to be its solid common denominator.

Rabbi Hershey Novak, Head of the Chabad tent at ThurtenE, commented on the valuable experience students get from participating in ThurtenE.

“The students develop a sense of camaraderie and teamwork and have fun while they’re able to serve the campus and broader St. Louis community,” Novak said.

From social fraternities to professional organizations, ThurtenE hosted numerous student groups fundraising for various club-related expenses. For example, the Black Men’s Coalition offered a fun football game to support their academic success for Black men not only on WashU’s campus but in St. Louis as well. Additionally, professional organizations like Phi Gamma Nu (PGN) fundraised for its own events which helps WashU students develop workplace skills. “What we really do is help students gain professional skills like chasing behaviorals, interviewing, resume work, etc,” Tyler Hanson Mathur, president of PGN, said.

Attendees at ThurtenE also enjoyed a wide selection of food from the various booths, meeting exciting people, and going on thrilling rides.

“I had a delicious waffle from Sigma Phi Epsilon. I would rate it a solid “9.7 out of 10”, it’s very well cooked,” first-year Siri Rodin said

However, the constant rain on Friday and Saturday affected projected ThurtenE attendance. On Friday the carnival was canceled, and on Saturday, the carnival ended at 1 p.m. instead of at 8 p.m. Although the carnival on Sunday was open all day, chilly winds and lower than average temperatures for springtime made ThurtenE feel more like a freeze than a summer breeze. 

This inclement weather affected ThurtenE’s ability to give back to the community. With limited hours and logistical issues due to the rain, fundraising was difficult for many organizations. 

Spencer Annor-Ampofo, junior and vice president of the Black Men’s Coalition, noted weather as a major concern.

“Saturday the rain really affected us because we had to make sure water wasn’t getting on our stuff. Luckily, we had a tent,” Annor-Ampofo said. 

Despite the challenges, ThurtenE refused to let a couple bad days get in the way of a successful carnival.

ThurtenE has a long history at WashU, dating back to 1907, shortly after the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Originally, ThurtenE emerged from a circus celebration dubbed the “Younivee Surkuss,” complete with sideshow attractions, main events, and lots of food. The event’s name changed several times over the years, but in 1935, students landed on the name ThurtenE, representing the Honorary Thirteen who restarted the tradition after a period of absence. The COVID-19 pandemic was the first time ThurtenE had been canceled since World War II, so the carnival tradition is long-lasting. 

From its founding to the current day, ThurtenE is an event created, conducted, and celebrated by students for students. Support for this tradition comes from the students who run and participate in the festivities. The impact ThurtenE has had on connecting WashU and St. Louis as a community emphasizes the importance of the student body and greater community’s participation in this fun carnival.