Thurtene Carnival, WashU’s oldest and most beloved tradition, is introducing a new tradition this weekend — a private beer garden for students, alumni and community members 21 and older. Located on Francis Olympic Field, the beer garden will be open during the carnival’s evening hours and will feature entertainment from WashU student bands.
Anurag Challagundla, of the Thurtene junior honorary, said members had graduating seniors in mind when planning this year’s event.
“We thought it was really important for seniors to have a chance to be together and celebrate,” said Challagundla, who is studying neuroscience in the biology major in Arts & Sciences and finance at Olin Business School. “If there is one thing that is core to WashU’s identity, it’s Thurtene. We want to build on that legacy by creating a new tradition that hopefully future generations can enjoy for years together.”
The carnival will be open to the public from 4-8 p.m. Friday, April 17, and 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19. After closing for an hour, Thurtene will reopen at 5:30 p.m. Saturday to WashU students, faculty, staff and alumni. Thurtene will host a community night at 5:30 p.m. Sunday for the WashU community and members of the carnival’s community partner, St. Louis Arc, which provides services and support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
“St. Louis Arc has been serving the community for more than 75 years, and so we are really excited to give its members an opportunity to experience all the carnival has to offer in a more relaxed, less crowded environment,” said Harin Moon, a member of Thurtene and a major in biology in Arts & Sciences and health-care management at Olin Business School.
Known as the oldest student-run carnival in the nation, Thurtene will feature rides, games and attractions with a distinctive WashU flair, such as spin-the-wheel legal trivia and the WashU comfort dogs. Student groups will serve an array of international dishes, from esquites, a Mexican corn salad, to coquito, a traditional Puerto Rican beverage of coconut milk and spices, to tanghulu, a Chinese snack of skewered fruit coated in sugar, as well as fair classics such as frozen lemonade, deep-fried Oreos and barbecue.
WashU bands, dance troupes and a cappella ensembles will perform throughout the carnival on the Dr. G. Fun House main stage. Scheduled performers include WUFuego, More Fools Than Wise, the Bear Nation Varsity Band, After Dark and Poetic Sounds.
Another highlight: the return of the turkey leg-eating contest, hosted by fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon and sorority Chi Omega, at 12:15 p.m. Saturday. Participants may register on site.
To maintain a safe environment, Thurtene also has implemented the following policies:
- No bags allowed except medical bags
- Minors must be accompanied by an adult, with the exception of WashU students
- WashU students must present their student IDs
