Save the Date for Carnival:
Thursday, May 8, 2025 from 6-8pm!
Get ready for one of the most exciting events of the year! Join us as Countryside transforms into
a vibrant carnival with games in classrooms, delicious eats in the cafeteria and a can't-miss
raffle. Every dollar raised supports classroom grants, scholarships, staff appreciation and
awesome PTO events like the All-School Party and Celebration of Cultures.
Questions? Contact the 2025 Carnival Co-Chairs:
Krissy Sommerstad (kjsommerstad@gmail.com)
Rachelle Haroldson (rachelle.haroldson@gmail.com)
What To Know Now:
We Need You to Volunteer Today! Carnival is a major fundraiser and it takes 150+
volunteers each year! Carnival volunteer details linked here.
- Volunteer TODAY for our Planning Committee: We need 6+ more volunteers
to help make the magic happen! Help with games, prizes, food, volunteers, or
ticket sales. - Donate Raffle Prizes: Gift baskets, small prizes, and big-ticket items welcome!
(Raffle basket details linked here and Amazon Wish List linked here) - Share Your Talent: Have a special skill that could help make Carnival even
better? Let us know! - Sponsorships: Get recognized while supporting the fun!
- Day-of Volunteers: More info coming soon!
- Food Menu: More info and full menu coming soon!
- Carnival Tickets: Pre-sale details coming soon! For Student Scholarship
support, including tickets, contact Marya Dumke, Countryside School Social
Worker (Marya.Dumke@edinaschools.org).
1st Annual Student Art Contest – submissions due by March 27! Up to 3 winners will
have their art featured on event posters! Student Art Contest Details Here.
Know Before You Go – Day-of Checklist:
- Ticket pre-sale is highly recommended, but we will have day-of tickets available for purchase. This is a cash- or check-only event. There are ATMs located near Jerry's.
- Bring a bag to carry around prizes.
- Come hungry, but snack before! We recommend a snack for (you and) your kids
beforehand. There will be plenty of food to purchase, however to help combat those
overstimulated meltdowns, a snack beforehand will go a long way! - Fill out your raffle tickets in advance. Pre-purchase your raffle tickets so you have
time to fill them out legibly. One seasoned parent even prints out contact labels at home
and sticks them directly onto their tickets! - Thank you for volunteering! If you’ve signed-up for shift, please be on-time to ensure
all volunteers also get to enjoy the event with their family.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: How can I help?
A: We’d love your help! Carnival takes over 150 volunteers to ensure a safe and smooth event
for all our attendees. We will need volunteers to run the games or help with various areas of the
event. Grab a friend, sign up a caregiver or grandparent... and we love to see middle school or
high school alumni help too! Carnival volunteer and donation details linked here.
Hot tip! The games are broken out into several shifts. It’s easy to spend time with your family for
the first part of Carnival and then send them off with one parent while the other parent grabs a
shift. You can also grab a buddy and sign up for a shift together.
Q: What tickets do I have to purchase?
A: The following tickets will be available for purchase:
- Event wristbands are required for all students (children 3 and younger are free): $15
before event, $20 at the door - Raffle tickets: $1 These must be purchased in cash, by an adult, 18+ years or older per
state law. - New this year: Food trucks will accept card and mobile payments! No need to prepurchase food tickets this year. More info on this to come...
This is a cash or check only event. There are ATMs located near Jerry's.
Q: When should I purchase tickets?
A: We highly recommend pre-ordering tickets! Pre-order ticket sales information coming
soon.
Q: Am I eligible for scholarship support to attend Carnival?
A: For Student Scholarship support, including tickets, contact Marya Dumke, Countryside
School Social Worker (Marya.Dumke@edinaschools.org).
Q: I’ve never been to Carnival, what should I expect?
A: Be ready to play games! Weather permitting, we’ll set-up Carnival activities and games
both outside and inside. Many classrooms will include either a game such as putt putt, plinko, a
cereal walk, ball drop, ping pong toss and more! There will also be a quiet room for those that
need a break.
Q: Will there be food available?
A: Yes! More information, including a full menu coming soon.
We try our best to accommodate those with food allergies - nothing in the menu includes nuts,
but may be processed in a facility with several different allergens.
Q: How Does the Raffle Work?
A: The process is much like a traditional raffle where you put your tickets in buckets at the
event. You can purchase as many raffle “tickets/chances” as you like for $1 each. Tickets must
be purchased in cash, by an adult, 18+ years or older per state law.
Before you drop them in the box, we ask you to add your contact information on each ticket (at
least your name and phone number). Be sure to keep the bigger portion of the ticket, this
allows us to match the winning name/number. The more entries, the better your chances… And
remember each ticket purchase goes back to the school!
More information on this year’s AWESOME raffle baskets coming soon!
Don’t forget to place your ticket into the container before 7:30pm, when the raffle closes.
Winners will be announced during the live drawing starting at 7:30pm. You do not have to be
present to win - we will contact you to coordinate your prize pickup. Prizes must be picked up by
an adult (18+) starting at 8:00pm. A list of winners will be available online during the event.
Q: Can I let my child go off on their own?
A: This is your own call but it is not unusual for children to be seen on their own at Carnival. If
you feel comfortable that they know their way around the school and have a buddy or two to go
with then go for it!
Q: Can I bring a stroller?
A: Carnival is CRAZY fun but also CRAZY busy and can get crowded. If possible, we highly
recommend leaving the stroller at home.
Q: Where do I enter and park?
A: Specific parking information to come. There will be parking at and around Countryside.
Please be mindful and try not to block anyone in - this has happened before and last thing we
need are parents melting down. You can enter through the main door, Door 1.
Q: Any additional questions?
A: Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. We were once in your shoes
and are happy to talk through any questions or concerns you have. You can email the
Carnival Co-Chairs with questions: Krissy Sommerstad
(kjsommerstad@gmail.com) and Rachelle Haroldson (rachelle.haroldson@gmail.com).
