A damp and dreary late October day didn’t cause a cancellation of the annual WHS Homecoming Carnival. If anything, the atmosphere was even more entertaining as many WHS clubs and organizations organized creative ways to raise money and promote themselves.

The celebration was part of a busy 24 hours for the Student Council between late Friday, October 2nd, and late Saturday afternoon October 3rd. When the forecast made it impossible to hold the carnival in the WHS parking lot, the Student Council was forced to hold the carnival in both gymnasiums. One way the council saved on time was by using some of the props and decorations from the previous night’s dance. The council used the DJ equipment they had to play music and make announcements during the public event.

In all, dozens of clubs and organizations participated in the event all with the goal of raising awareness for their club and its goals, along with also raising some money to be able to execute their clubs’ year long mission.

The clubs’ booths were appealing to WHS students as well as many of the town’s younger citizens, their parents, and the parents of Westborough High students. Some of the booths were extremely creative and of course, involved food. This year’s freshmen class was busy making made-to-order waffles in order to start the long process of raising funds for their class events. Meanwhile, on the far side of the old gymnasium Center Stage, the theater production group at the high school, was raising money by asking people to pay a dollar or two to pie one of the center stage members.

This was the backdrop for one of the more memorable moments of the event when Center Stage was paid to have WHS mathematics teacher Mr. McCoskery pied. The victim was a good sport and took his medicine, or shall we say dessert with dignity while dozens of cell phones and this reporter snapped photos.

More ingenuity was demonstrated from booths like the one run by the Latin Club. If you paid a dollar they would use a catapult to shoot 3 marshmallows towards your mouth; one at a time. If you caught all three, you would be able to pick from among some nifty gadgets. If your performance was less than inspiring your prize would range from a piece of candy to other gadgets.

The Chemistry Club was catering to the energetic impulses of those who like homemade, chemistry induced Plat-o. The senior class for the second year in a row was having customers throw a ball into a cup and if the ball made it in, they were able to pick whatever goldfish they wanted from a tank of fish the class bought from Petco.

Even parents, who said they had come out to support the hard work of the community, were able to find booths meant for them. The Pottery Club sold pottery it had made in classes with the proceeds going to Children’s Hospital. A silent auction, sponsored by the student council, also went on simultaneously throughout the carnival as many gift cards and gift baskets were up for bid.

The most popular student council booth by far was the jousting ring. This inflatable, cushioned ring had two plastic pedestals standing opposite from each other in the center of the ring. Contestants would fasten on plastic head gear before stepping-up onto the short pedestal. They were each given one long cushioned rod, and then for as long as it took would try to swing the rod at their opponent to attempt to knock them off the pedestal. The first one to successfully accomplish this was declared the winner. The popularity of this station has prompted Mr. Rota and the Student Council to consider buying this contraption in the future, assuming they make enough money through homecoming.

Although at times the crowd was slow, this homecoming’s alternative venue didn’t hurt many clubs from reaching their fund raising goals at the end of the day.

It just goes to show not even rain can make homecoming go away.