Northeast Spokane Families Celebrate Community at Spring Carnival

The Spring Carnival is a signature end-of-year celebration hosted by the Center for Community Engagement’s Youth Programs and Initiatives. The event welcomes youth programming participants and their families to campus for an afternoon of outdoor activities, connection, and community building. This year, more than 70 participants from across Northeast Spokane gathered on campus, transforming the lawn into a vibrant field-day space filled with games, music, and opportunities for families to connect and enjoy meaningful time together.

The event featured a wide variety of activities, including soccer, badminton, volleyball, spikeball, face painting, karaoke, chalk art, bubbles, rock painting, balloon games, and a special visit from a fire truck. Families moved from station to station, participating in activities with their children, reconnecting with mentors who have supported them throughout the year, and enjoying food and conversation in a relaxed outdoor setting. The afternoon provided families with opportunities to play, connect, and celebrate the relationships and community built throughout the school year. For many families who participate in off‑campus programming throughout the year, the carnival offered a chance to experience Gonzaga as a welcoming space.

Averie Golladay, former Secondary Youth Programs Service Corps Member, shared that the Spring Carnival is intentionally designed to help families feel comfortable on campus and to celebrate the relationships built throughout the year. She has seen how powerful it is for families to gather in a shared space, parents with their kids, siblings meeting other families, and students seeing their mentors outside of regular programming. One family arrived with twelve relatives, a moment that highlighted how meaningful the event is for creating space where everyone feels included.

The impact of the Spring Carnival extends beyond a single afternoon. By inviting Northeast Spokane families to campus, the event strengthens the connection between Gonzaga and the surrounding community, supporting the mission of both the CCE and Opportunity Northeast. Families who may not always feel at ease on a college campus are welcomed into an environment designed for them, one that encourages play, belonging, and shared experience. As Averie explained, “We want families to know they are always welcome here, and this event gives us a chance to celebrate the time we’ve spent together in a way that feels joyful and connected.”

Families consistently express appreciation for the Spring Carnival, noting how special it is to see their children in a new environment where they can relax, have fun, and meet others from across youth programs. The event serves as a meaningful close to the programming year, offering a moment for families, students, and mentors to come together and celebrate the community they’ve built.