A beloved local tradition for more than 70 years, the Lookout Mountain School Carnival has become one of the most important and treasured events of the school year. And this year’s Carnival was as memorable as ever.
On October 3, 2024, more than 200 students lined up outside the school, skipping and laughing as they paraded to the Town Commons to kick off the annual fundraising celebration. Heading up the parade were the Carnival King and Queen, first-grader Ford Jenkins and second-grader Magnolia Whittaker, who were awarded the distinguished honor for selling the most coupon books in the annual fall LMS Coupon Book Sale. Following close behind was the LMS fifth grade class, comprising 28 students who were both excited and thoughtfully reflective as they prepared to enjoy their last Carnival as LMS students.
The bright, sunny afternoon did not disappoint. The students rushed onto the field to find their favorite Carnival booths and purchase the items known to sell quickly - like jamboree jars and costumes. Some headed to face painting first, which always draws a line of students waiting to be transformed into animals and fantasy characters by several talented volunteers, including LMS grandmother and local painter Maddin Corey, who generously donates her time each year. Other returning favorites included the bounce houses and hay and pony rides, along with booths for pumpkin painting, hair spray, and duck pond fishing. And of course, the infamous booths for fake casts and silly string were not to be missed, as no Carnival is truly complete without bandaged up and silly string-covered students running free to their hearts’ content.
LMS parents, grandparents, and other community members were quick to flock to a favored Carnival staple for adults - the Carnival Kitchen tent. Each year, this booth sells delicious frozen entrees, soups, and appetizers, along with a wide variety of baked goods, all of which are donated by LMS parents and grandparents. LMS parent and Carnival Kitchen veteran Lynn Brown led the charge again this year, coordinating the donation and sale of more than 230 fabulous dishes and desserts and raising $4,500 for the school. Additionally, to make sure no one went hungry amid the excitement, there were ample grab-and-go options onsite, thanks to generous donations from Chick-fil-A, Mr. T’s pizza, the Mountain Munchery, and Clumpies.
Amongst these treasured Carnival favorites, one new table stood out. Days before the event, Hurricane Helene had ripped across Florida and up through the Southeast, leading to widespread flooding, road closures, and loss of power in dozens of hardhit communities. Western North Carolina was especially devastated, with unprecedented flooding that demolished critical infrastructure and cut off communication lines in and out of several widely populated mountain communities.
Knowing that many Lookout Mountain families would be gathering at the Carnival in the wake of the devastating storm, local couple Monica and Matt Dixon saw an opportunity to support Western North Carolina’s disaster relief efforts by organizing a drop-off station for donations at the event. As owners of the food service company What Chefs Want, the Dixons offered to haul the donations of non-perishable food and supplies to a temporary food bank in Cherokee, N.C.
With mere hours of notice, the entire community rallied together to support the cause. Tens of dozens of bags of food, infant supplies, toiletries, and paper goods were stacked in and around the donation table by the end of the day. It was a beautiful reflection of the giving spirit of our community, which shined even brighter amid the joy of Carnival.
As the day came to a close, many ofthose involved stopped to acknowledge the incredible efforts of this year’s Carnival chairs, LMS parents Beth Campbell, Kiran Eberle, and Laura Patterson. The event was held earlier than previous years, which meant preparation started within the first weeks of the school year. In addition to securing the many volunteers and donations needed to make the day a success, the Carnival chairs and assistants also organized three weeks’ worth of class contests to collect costumes, stuffed animals, and jamboree jars for the Carnival mini markets. The students were more engaged than ever, donating a record 1,300 stuffed animals - so many that the chairs decided to expand the size of the booth to accommodate the impressive assortment! Stuffed animals and costumes left over at the end of the event were added to the final load of donations the Dixon’s hauled to Western North Carolina.
“As chair of the Carnival this year, it was a pleasure to help create such a memorable event for the children of Lookout Mountain Elementary School. It is so inspiring to see a community, from large corporations to local small businesses to grandparents, give their time and talents to support the school,” said Carnival chair Beth Campbell.
The LMS administration and Carnival organizers sincerely appreciate the widespread support of this beloved fundraiser. From the parent volunteers and families who attended, to the numerous local businesses that donated food and activities, to the Lookout Mountain town workers and recreation board who ensured the field was dry and safe for hosting the event, the entire community came together to make the day a success. The relationships built and memories created will keep shining and inspiring in the years to come.
by Kirsten Yates
On October 3, 2024, more than 200 students lined up outside the school, skipping and laughing as they paraded to the Town Commons to kick off the annual fundraising celebration. Heading up the parade were the Carnival King and Queen, first-grader Ford Jenkins and second-grader Magnolia Whittaker, who were awarded the distinguished honor for selling the most coupon books in the annual fall LMS Coupon Book Sale. Following close behind was the LMS fifth grade class, comprising 28 students who were both excited and thoughtfully reflective as they prepared to enjoy their last Carnival as LMS students.
The bright, sunny afternoon did not disappoint. The students rushed onto the field to find their favorite Carnival booths and purchase the items known to sell quickly - like jamboree jars and costumes. Some headed to face painting first, which always draws a line of students waiting to be transformed into animals and fantasy characters by several talented volunteers, including LMS grandmother and local painter Maddin Corey, who generously donates her time each year. Other returning favorites included the bounce houses and hay and pony rides, along with booths for pumpkin painting, hair spray, and duck pond fishing. And of course, the infamous booths for fake casts and silly string were not to be missed, as no Carnival is truly complete without bandaged up and silly string-covered students running free to their hearts’ content.
LMS parents, grandparents, and other community members were quick to flock to a favored Carnival staple for adults - the Carnival Kitchen tent. Each year, this booth sells delicious frozen entrees, soups, and appetizers, along with a wide variety of baked goods, all of which are donated by LMS parents and grandparents. LMS parent and Carnival Kitchen veteran Lynn Brown led the charge again this year, coordinating the donation and sale of more than 230 fabulous dishes and desserts and raising $4,500 for the school. Additionally, to make sure no one went hungry amid the excitement, there were ample grab-and-go options onsite, thanks to generous donations from Chick-fil-A, Mr. T’s pizza, the Mountain Munchery, and Clumpies.
Amongst these treasured Carnival favorites, one new table stood out. Days before the event, Hurricane Helene had ripped across Florida and up through the Southeast, leading to widespread flooding, road closures, and loss of power in dozens of hardhit communities. Western North Carolina was especially devastated, with unprecedented flooding that demolished critical infrastructure and cut off communication lines in and out of several widely populated mountain communities.
Knowing that many Lookout Mountain families would be gathering at the Carnival in the wake of the devastating storm, local couple Monica and Matt Dixon saw an opportunity to support Western North Carolina’s disaster relief efforts by organizing a drop-off station for donations at the event. As owners of the food service company What Chefs Want, the Dixons offered to haul the donations of non-perishable food and supplies to a temporary food bank in Cherokee, N.C.
With mere hours of notice, the entire community rallied together to support the cause. Tens of dozens of bags of food, infant supplies, toiletries, and paper goods were stacked in and around the donation table by the end of the day. It was a beautiful reflection of the giving spirit of our community, which shined even brighter amid the joy of Carnival.
As the day came to a close, many ofthose involved stopped to acknowledge the incredible efforts of this year’s Carnival chairs, LMS parents Beth Campbell, Kiran Eberle, and Laura Patterson. The event was held earlier than previous years, which meant preparation started within the first weeks of the school year. In addition to securing the many volunteers and donations needed to make the day a success, the Carnival chairs and assistants also organized three weeks’ worth of class contests to collect costumes, stuffed animals, and jamboree jars for the Carnival mini markets. The students were more engaged than ever, donating a record 1,300 stuffed animals - so many that the chairs decided to expand the size of the booth to accommodate the impressive assortment! Stuffed animals and costumes left over at the end of the event were added to the final load of donations the Dixon’s hauled to Western North Carolina.
“As chair of the Carnival this year, it was a pleasure to help create such a memorable event for the children of Lookout Mountain Elementary School. It is so inspiring to see a community, from large corporations to local small businesses to grandparents, give their time and talents to support the school,” said Carnival chair Beth Campbell.
The LMS administration and Carnival organizers sincerely appreciate the widespread support of this beloved fundraiser. From the parent volunteers and families who attended, to the numerous local businesses that donated food and activities, to the Lookout Mountain town workers and recreation board who ensured the field was dry and safe for hosting the event, the entire community came together to make the day a success. The relationships built and memories created will keep shining and inspiring in the years to come.
by Kirsten Yates
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