The annual Spring Fling carnival kicks off today with a variety of rides, food and games for attendees.

The Associated Students of the University of Arizona is hosting the 39th annual Spring Fling, the largest student-run carnival in the nation, today through Sunday. Located at the Rillito Downs track, Spring Fling will offer 25 carnival rides as well as food and games for UA students and Tucson residents alike. More than 1,000 student volunteers are helping to organize and run the event.

The organizers of this year’s event have amped up the festivities, said Jared Young, Spring Fling director and a junior studying accounting and finance.

This year, Hannah Rosen, media director of Spring Fling and a senior studying English and creative writing, has arranged for a different radio station to broadcast from Spring Fling and give away
prizes each day.

Other directors for the event are putting together performances like Battle of the Bands, where bands will compete for a spot to perform on the final day of Spring Fling.

Another new aspect this year is the appearance of the Lorax at the children’s corner during the
event this weekend, where families can enjoy guided readings and other child-friendly activities.
The main objective of the carnival is to help clubs and organizations fundraise through the fun activities planned, said Paige Sager, ASUA administrative vice president and a senior studying marketing. Last year’s carnival raised $50,000 for the clubs and organizations that participated, Sager said.

“[Spring Fling] is a really longstanding tradition and our goal is to integrate the U of A and the Tucson community, and we want as many people as possible to be a part of that,” Sager said. “Our main goal is to raise money for clubs and organizations, so having people come in and help do that is amazing.”

There will be no lack of food, either, as guests will be able to choose from classic carnival deep-fried foods or more traditional cultural dishes, Young said. To name one, the Korean International Student Society is doing a Korean street-food-esque traditional dish, Young added.

“This is something that helps the university and helps the community with a lot of our different
initiatives,” Young said. “It’s something you can be a part of and tell your parents, ‘I went to Spring Fling.’”