Head to Head is an editorial feature wherein two of our writers take opposing sides on an issue. This time, writers Minji Kim and Kate Klein battle it out over the value of the Cresskill Carnival.

The Cresskill Carnival Promises Family Fun – Minji Kim

Kids eagerly await the time of year when the carnival rolls into town. If the cute bear ride or the goldfish in a bag isn’t enough to get you to come, there is an abundance of sweet candy and fried food to capture your attention. It isn’t everyday that you can eat fried Oreos and colorful cotton candy till you get nauseous. The carnival is known for their sugary zeppoles and tangy lemonade and if you don’t eat them in one sitting, you might even have leftovers to eat at home later. While the small roller coasters might not interest older and taller teenagers, it’s still a way to catch up with friends and hang out for a bit. Lots of greetings are exchanged between old friends, and they are eventually seen walking around the perimeter, looking to see if there’s anything to spend a little bit of cash on. It might cost a little more than anticipated, but you can’t put a price on memories. While the older kids eat their desserts, the younger kids drag their parents to jump around in the jungle gym and ride the dragon. The kids laugh and eat their sweets while the parents talk, carefully keeping an eye on their sons and daughters. The bright lights light up the night and it symbolizes another year of an old Cresskill tradition. The carnival plants itself in CMP parking lot and the fun music, food, rides, and the promise of fun invite the kids every year.

Kate Klein

Overpriced and Overhyped – Kate Klein

The overpriced 25 dollar wristbands that give you entry to the carnival are just the first problem of this overhyped event. The other option of course if to buy tickets that barely get you on one ride before you have to go back and buy more, making the crazy expensive wrist band make sense. There is also not one healthy food option at the carnival. Of course, carnival food has been the iconic fried oreos, funnel cake, cotton candy, and so on for as long as anyone can remember, but after getting off of a ride feeling kind of nauseous, only having fried options to eat is the worst feeling. Another problem that’s a little more than scary is that the same exact rides have been coming to Cresskill for what seems like the past twenty years. This might be a good thing if you love that one specific ride that you go back to every year, but if you have any concern for your safety whatsoever this is certainly a big red flag. The rust, chipping paint, and squeaky gears of the rides are a bit more than concerning, as some of these rides go over 20 miles per hour. Not to mention the employees that work the rides are not the type of people you typically would associate with children. In the past, rumors have gone around of carnival employees making inappropriate comments towards young girls and smoking very close to the rides and around the kids. The carnival is a time when kids get to run around and just be kids; just try not to go broke, get diabetes, or die on a ride while you’re at it.