Smelling the scents of hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy in the air while clad in prom dresses and tuxedos is not a typical way to spend prom, but when Veishea rolls around, the carnival is the perfect place to go before the biggest dance of high school.

“We had an hour to kill before prom, and so we decided it would be fun to come to the Veishea carnival and hang out for a while,” said Jessica Schnormeier, junior at Gilbert High School.

People of all ages gathered at the carnival to enjoy a variety of rides, eat carnival food, hang out and play carnival games to win prizes. Entertainment was provided by Davidson United Shows of Des Moines.

“Most of the time, I enjoy working the carnivals,” said Davidson worker Diane Jewell of Des Moines. “It’s fun to be around this, except when the weather doesn’t cooperate. I’ve never been able to experience any other parts of Veishea, because breaks aren’t long enough, and when you’re done working for the night, you just want your bed – but there’s always next year.”

The Veishea experience would not be complete without rides such as the tilt-a-whirl, scorpion, monkey cages and the Ferris wheel, each of which cost $2 per ride – a little costly for college students and recent graduates. “I thought the carnival was free myself,” said Maurice King, who graduated from Iowa State in December with a degree in hotel and restaurant management. “The only ride I plan to ride is the Tilt-a-whirl, because it’s my favorite.”

The carnival, which ran from Thursday to Sunday, attracted a wide variety of people from throughout Iowa and Iowa State.

“My favorite ride was the roller coaster,” said 7-year-old Malayna Martin of Ames. “I come to Veishea every year, and I like being able to ride all the rides and stay up so late.”