Each spring, Frank Hubit looks forward to transforming the grounds of St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, into a full-scale fairgrounds for the annual parish carnival.

“It’s a good way to build community,” said Hubit, who has been part of the 15-member committee of the event since its inception about eight years ago. “You get to know the people who sit beside you in the pews on Sunday.”

Preparations for the fundraising event begin many months in advance, and hundreds of volunteers step forward to man the food booths, sell raffle tickets and help on the 18-ride fairground. The event generally kicks off with a Mass celebrated outdoors under the big tent, although this year it was held in the brand-new church built in March. This year’s highlights also included “VIP Day,” in which special invitations to local handicapped children were issued; the children were given shirts, hats and special prizes.

“Everyone really loves it,” Hubit remarked.

St. Aloysius is one of many parishes in the Diocese of Trenton that host carnivals and festivals each spring and summer, which offer much to their parishioners under the guise of good times and great food. Strengthening of parish bonds, exercises in teamwork, multi-generational bonding, neighborhood outreach, parish fundraising, spirituality, reuniting with old friends and making new ones all occur at carnivals between spins of the Ferris wheel or bites of a cotton-candy coated cardboard cone.

Community building

Carnivals were once held almost exclusively just before Lent so that Christians might clear their pantries of meat and revel before the 40 days of fast and abstinence. Modern day carnivals and festivals focus less on overindulgence and more on camaraderie amongst the participants.

The July carnival at St. Theresa Parish, Little Egg Harbor, requires a full year of planning and is eagerly anticipated by all in the community.

“Even the neighborhood people keep asking us, ‘When’s the carnival?’” laughed parish staffer Evelyn Lavender, perhaps due to both the dozen or so rides, perhaps to the famed parish-run “Uncle Louie’s Italian kitchen” food booth, complete with sausage and peppers, pizza and cannolis.

Now in its seventh year, the carnival saw more than 300 volunteers come together under a core committee to raise funds for the parish’s new Faith Formation Center.

The carnival at St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton, is now in its 30th successful year. Committee member Denise Mikics noted, “It’s really a tremendous community builder; [we have had] some people coming for years.”

Among them are Irene Engel, a ten-year veteran volunteer who professed that the event was a great place to catch up with old and new friends. Her daughter Christine Paternostro, in her fourth year of attendance, agreed.

“I love meeting new people and helping the community,” said Paternostro, whose daughter Madison also attended the event this year, making it a multi-generational gathering.

Also on hand was new parish administrator Father Ian Trammel, who used the opportunity to get acquainted with parishioners.

“These people have welcomed me so openly,” he said. “They make you feel like you have always been here.”

Many parishes select a central theme for their carnival each year. For the past seven years, Epiphany Parish, Brick, has adopted the theme “There’s something for everybody.”

“Epiphany is the ‘people’ parish, we always say,” related Joe Mignone, carnival chairman. “Everybody here jumps in and helps.”

The people at Epiphany have played a big part in ensuring that the festival runs smoothly, Mignone said. Each year up to 200 volunteers pitch in to assist with the carnival, which is the parish’s largest fundraiser of the year.

Special attractions

In addition to the food, fun and games, some parishes feature music and other attractions to make their carnivals stand out. String bands and guest appearances by “celebrities” ranging from minor-league ballplayers to the Chik-Fil-A cow mascot highlighted the 41st carnival at St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson, in June. The carnival routinely generates $220,000 to $250,000 each year to benefit religious education in the parish’s school or catechesis program.

St. Mary Parish, Middletown, has in its 65-year history featured a pie judging contest and a battle of the bands.

“Many years ago, Bruce Springsteen entered, but he didn’t win,” remembered parish secretary Joan Kaminski.

Modern touches at St. Mary include Irish step dancers, a live broadcasting feed from local radio station 94.3 “The Point” and a car raffle. Proceeds go into the general parish fund for ongoing projects.

In addition to their traditional carnival trappings, a new twist added this year by St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton, was a class reunion in honor of the 40th anniversary of the parish’s elementary school. The parish has formed an alumni committee to reconnect graduates with their SJA compatriots.

Committee member Bob Debicki related the efforts to find his former classmates. “We put notices in the bulletin, looked through old school records and even used [Internet] social networking sites to find people,” he said. They have managed to find a good number of students; “we even have 15 or 20 people coming in from all over the country,” he rejoiced.

But Debicki is not only living in the past. Having returned to the parish two decades ago, he now takes his 11- and 14-year-old children to the carnival so that they might forge the same long-lasting bonds.

But as the people of St. Veronica Parish, Howell, are well aware, in all the frills and fun of a summer carnival it is important to not lose sight of the one thing that unites all participants – a shared faith in God.

“We like do something spiritual,” stated Cheryl Wegner, parish office manager, of the annual tradition.

The summer festival and tent revival at St. Veronica includes traditional games, rides, raffles and food concessions under tents. Even after the festival concludes, the tents remain in use for de facto ministry days and revival stages.

Famed guitarist Tony Melendez performed on opening night this year, and numerous guests offered talks and praise music sessions.