SEE and Stamp Special Events and Programs relocated Terp Carnival to the Stamp Student Union during homecoming week.
Terp Carnival, which was originally planned to be held at McKeldin Mall, featured free giveaways, performances and crafting activities to kick off homecoming weekend.
By noon, the UMD homecoming Instagram page announced that the carnival was being moved inside Stamp’s Grand Ballroom due to weather concerns. Teddy’s Pup Parade was canceled and fireworks are rescheduled for a later date.
Freshman finance and international business major Arifina Hossais said she was disappointed it didn’t take place outside.
“I’m a little disappointed because it’s my first year here, and I’m kind of sad that we didn’t get to be outside,” Hossais said.
Sophomore international business major Nate Burrs performed at Terp Carnival as a member of a capella group The Generics. He said they were slightly “thrown off” by the location change.
“I think that we were a little like thrown off because it got moved to inside like day of,” Burrs said. “Obviously, McKeldin Mall is going to get a lot more foot traffic.”
The carnival was also originally scheduled for 4-8 p.m. and was changed to 3-7 p.m.
Sophomore marketing major Gia Ahuja said that the last-minute time change was inconvenient.
“I didn’t really …. see the point because it didn’t end up raining,” Ahuja said. “They moved it up an hour … which kind of messes up with everyone’s schedule, and sometimes we can’t accommodate.”
However, students still enjoyed the carnival for its giveaways and activities like scoops of ice cream from Maryland Dairy, a chance to meet Homecoming Grand Marshal Vernon Davis or a free airbrush tattoo.
“I got free ice cream out of it, and I made balloon animals, and there’s a bunch of free stuff happening, and I like that,” Ahuja said.
Graduate sociology major Kathy Sun, who lined up around 2:30 p.m. with her roommate for one of the limited 500 homecoming scarves, said the event helped her become more involved during her first year at UMD.
“It made me feel more involved in the campus or in the university,” Sun said. “I think it’s really great for my mental health.”
Burrs said he appreciated the production team’s work that helped performers put on fun shows.
“I thought that the production team did a really nice job with the lighting and the stage and stuff, which I think drew people in,” he said.