THON carnival is held at Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.-- This past Sunday, on Dec. 8 was the annual THON family carnival. Students, THON families, and all participating organizations on campus made their way to the Multi-Sport facility where various booths and activities planned throughout the day took place.

Sororities, fraternities, and THON organizations fully planned and operated this memorable event, allowing the THON families and children to take a day to have fun and get excited for the 2025 THON.

Starting at 12:30, the event opened with a human tunnel run where the children were able to run through the crowd with cheers and claps coming from all over, uplifting and embracing the children.

Throughout the course of the festival, events such as a limbo contest, face painting contest and freeze dance contest had the kids and crowd laughing.

Along with the competition, the booth ran during the carnival.

Some memorable booths were a flower crown station, a hoola hooping competition booth where you could win some squishies and a hair tinsel station.

Although all of the booths were a big hit with the crowd, everyone waited in anticipation as the 2025 THON logo was to be announced that day at around 4:30.

Nia Eoanidis, a senior at Penn State, when asked about her guesses on the THON theme, she said, “I’m not sure, because everything I’ve been seeing is beachy, so maybe something along the lines of that, honestly it’ll be a surprise to me.”

Vi Lee, a senior who works as a merchandise captain, puts in his guesses with “I’m thinking something with a forest and a little cabin in the forest”

The theme came out to be “A Home for Hope”, being symbolized with a child being cradled in the belly of a bear, looking up at the stars, symbolizing the feeling of connection that surrounds THON as students and supporters fight for a cure.

THON weekend is scheduled to be on Feb. 21st-23rd, 2025 in the Bryce Jordan Center, where students will dedicate 46 hours of nonstop standing and spreading hope for a world without childhood cancer.

Joy Donald is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email ndon9325@gmail.com.