On Sept. 4, from 5 to 9 p.m., Oakland University students and community members gathered in Parking Lot 37 for the Student Program Board’s (SPB) Outer Space Carnival, an evening filled with games, rides, food, make-and-take activities, prizes and giveaways.

The free event brought students together for one of SPB’s major fall events. 

The carnival had been in the works for several months, with much of the planning taking place throughout the summer.

“It’s our big fall event, and everyone in and outside of the organization just comes together to help,” Lyn Garcia-Bello, the creative director of SPB, said.

Garcia-Bello said the carnival gives students an opportunity to connect at the beginning of the school year and enjoy activities outside of the classroom.

“It’s a great event that allows us to connect further with the campus community,” Garcia-Bello said.

Planning the carnival required collaboration between SPB members and many other campus and community organizations.

Camarie Adkins, the annual director of SPB, said teamwork played an important role in preparing for the event.

“It’s been a lot of collaboration with on and off-campus organizations, whether that’s working with OUPD to keep everyone safe or bringing in food trucks, DJs and more,” Adkins said.

The involvement of different organizations helped SPB create an event with a variety of activities for students. 

The carnival also allowed students to socialize with friends and meet other members of the OU community.

For some students, the carnival was also a return to an event they had enjoyed in previous years.

Logan Davis, a sophomore, attended the carnival last fall and returned for another year.

“I went to the carnival last year and it was so much fun,” Davis said.

Davis said the event was one of the highlights of Welcome Week, pointing to the free food and variety of activities as reasons for its appeal.

“Definitely the highlight of Welcome Week activities,” Davis said. “The free food is a huge plus as well.”

The carnival was part of SPB’s efforts to provide students with events and activities throughout the academic year. For organizers, the event represented months of preparation and coordination to create an evening for the campus community.

The event also gave students a chance to step away from their academic routines and enjoy free entertainment with their peers.

After the carnival, students could continue the evening with a free movie showing in the Habitat. The movie provided another opportunity for students to spend time on campus after the carnival ended. Students could attend the movie whether they participated in the carnival or simply wanted to join the evening’s activities.

The Outer Space Carnival combined entertainment and community-building while allowing students to take advantage of free activities on campus.

For SPB members, the event brought together months of planning and collaboration with campus and community organizations. For students, the carnival provided an evening of games, food, rides, prizes and activities while bringing the OU community together at the start of the fall semester.