THON Family Carnival

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – All day on Sunday, Dec. 3, Penn State’s Multi-Sport Facility hosted THON volunteers, students and Four Diamonds families to get a sneak peek of the culmination of the fundraising year: THON Weekend 2024.

THON’s Family Carnival was held in the Multi-Sport Facility on Penn State’s campus from noon to 4:45 p.m., ending with the logo reveal.

The day was full of excitement with volunteers, committees, THON organizations and THON captains hosting booths around the facility where families can play games and get to know the faces and personalities behind the philanthropy.

On the stage, performances by Penn State students and families were constantly occurring including freeze dance, pool noodle jousting, face painting, and "Just Dance."

In fashion to making Sunday a mini-THON Weekend experience, the carnival concluded with doing THON 2023’s Line Dance, a Pep Rally with the cheerleaders, Lionettes and the Nittany Lion, a family speaker and a Special Events Captain DJing for a “Kid’s Rave.”

“DJ Raven” Criscitello, a third-year kinesiology major and THON Special Event 2023 Captain spent her last couple of weeks putting together a 15-minute DJ set that is For The Kids, parents and volunteers at the event.

“Today Gabby and Ralph [the Special Event Captains for Family Carnival 2023] asked me to do a Kid’s Rave with a DJ set, which I’m so excited about. I love DJing, but the fact that I can involve it with THON, which is something else I’m super passionate about is so amazing and I’m so excited for it,” Criscitello said.

Gabby Lisatani, a fourth-year cyber security major and Special Event Captain for Family Carnival 2023, has been preparing for this day since May, with her co-captain Ralph Lintelman.

She shared her favorite moment of the day: “Playing monkey in the middle with the tech Robot and Braden’s family [her THON organization’s Four Diamonds family].”

Although Lisatani admitted that the suggestions she received her nearly impossible, she and Lintelman updated various aspects of the carnival. “We incorporated more family-focused activities on stage,” Lisatani said.

To make each performance on stage inclusive to the THON families, their performance included children and families joining them on stage to have fun and show off their talents.

Natalie Simone a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email nvs5790@psu.edu.