ladyneat's Blog

 Here are the links to the videos and full picture album I will upload some of the pictures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-YAgWgqPr8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAHLDFg4QzA

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/neat1325/album/57646076239
1240143

This years Flyers Wives Carnival was the 30th year of the Carnival.  I am only a year older then the Carnival so I don’t have the pleasure of remembering when it first started.  I have been to many carnivals in my time as a Flyers fan and I think this was by far one of the best ones I have attended. 

This year the Flyers carnival had some updates to the way things have been done.  I found them to all be for the better.  At Center ice they had mystery bags.  While the Carnival was going on there was live music in all sorts of locations.  The bands on the big stage were fabulous.  This was the first year that all the Phantoms and Flyers were active in the carnival.  There were some new attractions like playing playstation against a player and having a multiple player picture booth. 

I arrived at the Wachovia center around 1 and went into the box office to exchange my Peter Forsberg photo pass.  I changed it for a Mike Knuble photo  pass.  
Then I stood in line to get in.  There was a nice couple behind me, this was their first carnival.  We didn't stand in line very long then they started letting us in.  The event staff outside handed everyone a bag and a Guide listing where players were going to be and at what times.  When we got in they gave us each a puck. 
         The center ice mystery gifts were in bags with Carnival logo. I got the sweatshirt.
Last years experiences of standing in massive lines for Forsberg and Hatcher were not repeated.  The longest line I was in was the autograph for Mike Richards.  They filled 2 sections of people to sit and wait for him to arrive.  I had absolutely no lines for Richards and Knuble photos. 
         The line for Gagne did not seem to get any shorter all day.  Then when they added Mike Knuble to Gagne the line went through a whole section and then up in the concourse and around the entire concourse. .
          Since I had gotten almost all of the team’s autographs at the Fan Club dinner I had much less to get at the carnival.  Several players were unsure why I wasn’t getting their autographs when you had several together and had to walk through each one. I added Leighton (whom I did no know at the dinner), Ruzicka, Afanasenkov, Guenin, Rathje, and Upshall.  I got autographs I neglected to get last year which were Keith Primeau and Chris Therien. .  I think all the autograph experiences I had were great this year.  All the players were very nice.  I forgot to talk to a few.  I hope they forgive me.
I ran into lots of people I knew like our own girls from the fan club Theresa and Caroline.          When I went to get my picture for Mike Knuble I stood in a line of about 6 people. When I got up and went I reminded him that we had dinner together and he seemed to remember me then.  We had a nice little conversation.  He seemed to be doing really well.  
          When I went for Mike Richards I handed my ticket in and I was the next person.  I absolutely could not believe that part at all.  I asked him how his day was going and I thanked him when I left.  I got Mike Richards to autograph the picture I had just gotten taken as well but I had to stand in a long line it wasn’t immediately following the picture..
         I do not think the carnival was very crowded.  I also think it started to empty out around 4 when we were leaving.  We left due to the inclement weather that was going on.  I was glad that it held off as long as it did that there was a decent turnout for the early session of the carnival.

I can not wait until next year to see what other fun new things they have to see and do.