Carnival in the Park celebrates its 10-year anniversary

Carnival in the Park has reached its 10-year milestone of providing children and families with free entertainment, food, games and school supplies. It is a feat that carnival founder Terry Sallis never thought would happen when the event debuted in 2013, but he could not be happier to see it still embraced by the community.

The carnival makes its return 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26 at Aurora Park, 2111 First Ave. E., in Newton. Presented by Integrated Treatment Services and Montana Mike’s Steakhouse, the carnival will feature live music performances by Flava Band and award-winning blues musician Kevin Burt.

Keeping the carnival free is what makes the event stand out from others in town. Sallis, who is the executive director of Integrated Treatment Services, insists that part of the carnival never changes. The Iowa State Fair, held a week before the carnival, can be cost-prohibitive for some families.

“We’re not as big as the Iowa State Fair, and we don’t have the resources to get ferris wheels or things like that,” Sallis said. “But we do the best that we can and make sure the kids in our community can have a fun event that’s not going to cost their family a penny prior to going back to school.”

Sallis is looking forward to interacting with thousands of visitors at this year’s carnival, which is dedicated to Sallis’s wife, Karen, who died in early February. Sallis wants to see the community unify for a friendly and positive cause. He encourages all visitors to talk to each other and get to know their neighbors.

Organizing the carnival every year is also a way for Sallis to give back to the community that embraced him and gave him a chance to run a business.

“We have to give back,” he said. “It’s all about unity and providing something for the kids. We’ve got a two-pronged mindset when we do this here.

“The community is a huge part of why we do this.”