Despite Lack of Winter, Carnival a Success

Author: Jen LaRosa

There are no classes on Friday, dinner is actually looking quite appetizing and there is a late night McCullough dance party two nights in a row.

This can only mean one thing: Winter Carnival.

Each year, Middlebury College faculty, staff and students get together to arrange a weekend filled with good food, ski races, ice shows, night clubs and a formal ball, bringing a needed dose of excitement in the doldrums of winter.

This year, following the fantastical "Once Upon a Carnival" theme, the weekend kicked off with the "Be Our Guest" jamboree dinner.

There were delicious appetizers, evident from the 25-minute line, a pasta garden, a stir fry station, glazed duck and, of course, Disney character "The Beast." Coincidentally enough, Proctor Hall seemed to be serving very similar meals the next afternoon.

But make no mistake: even though the alligator did not return this year, "the dinner here," as the song goes, "is never second best."

The dinner was followed by fireworks behind the Center for the Arts and a cultural gala based on themes from "The Jungle Book."

The night ended in McCullough, with students dancing to the '80s cover band Orange Crush. Jen Nightingale '04 said that "there was such a variety of '80s songs that were very upbeat and easy to dance to.

The decorations were very colorful and there were many students dressed up in good old eighties garb!"

Ski races started the next day at 9:30 a.m. at the Snow Bowl. This year there was quite a large turnout thanks to both home team pride and the beautiful weather.

Most people milled around the finish line, but a few brave souls scaled the slippery slopes to get an even better view.

Every time a Middlebury skier raced down the mountain the crowd went wild, yelling in encouragement and banging cowbells.

A "commons afternoon" also took place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Bicentennial Hall and on Battell Beach, but unfortunately a few of the activities had to be canceled or changed due to the lack of snow.

The "Bedtime Stories" ice show, featuring children from the local community in attire inspired by the book "Where the Wild Things Are," area students who are heavily involved in ice skating competitions and Middlebury's own multi-talented student body, was sold out Friday night.

With renditions of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" and songs by the Spice Girls, the ice show was simply warming to the heart.

The annual Night Club, hosted by Damian Washington '03 and featuring three "celebrity" judges, took place at both 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. that evening.

Performing to sold-out houses, the Night Club showcased an impressive array of student talent, featuring singing, dancing, juggling and magic.

As spectators enjoyed the performances, student hosts circulated through the audience offering complimentary smoothies from The Grille, contributing to the nightclub-like atmosphere.

At the event's conclusion, the judges unanimously selected Brain Fletcher '04 as the best performer for his awe-inspiring juggling skills.

Other noteworthy performances included the vocal and piano duet of Gabe Epperson '02.5 and Maressa Perault '03, the solo strummings of solo guitarist Jason Lockhart '05 and On Tap's energetic tap dances.

A late night McCullough dance party ended that night as well. There was no theme or cover band, just some good old-fashioned college dancing.

On Saturday, the last day of Winter Carnival, ski races kicked off yet another gorgeous day. Dave Reisman '04 said that he thought that "both the men and the women skied beautifully.

She continued, "I was very impressed with the not only the racers, but also the large number of enthusiastic fans."

Students barbequed, skied and rolled down the Bowl, all in the name of the Panther ski team, which ultimately placed second behind the University of Vermont but ahead of perennial ski rival Dartmouth College.

Winter Carnival concluded with the "Happily Ever After" ball. With The Marcels, a traditional cover band, providing entertainment, Nelson Arena was transformed by beautiful lighting and decorations.

A skillfully-arranged beer garden was partitioned off, accessible only to those over the age of 21.

Nightingale added that there was a "good turnout at the ball.

She continued, "Everyone who attended was very enthusiastic, which made for a genuinely good time."

Despite the lack of winter weather, Winter Carnival carried on the long-standing Middlebury tradition of a mid-February celebration in grand style.