Break out the cotton candy and get ready to try your luck for a few prizes—the carnival is coming to town.

Mokena is abuzz with news of a District 159 carnival at Mokena Elementary School scheduled for May 17–20. The school board approved the festivities in a 5-to-2 vote during its April 12 meeting.

Board members Kathy Moore and Scott Peters voted against the carnival, although Moore said she wasn't against the carnival, just the timing.

“I'm not against one, I'm against making the decision with no information and very little time to plan, Moore said.

She added that her concerns stemmed from a lack of knowledge about exactly how much the carnival will cost, data that she said she had previously requested.

Peters' worries stemmed mainly from the carnival possibly taking away from students' outdoor recess and activity time, along with costs to the district for various related issues.

“There's a lot of intangibles here, we're trying to shove something into this time frame that I don't agree with,” Peters said.

Despite Moore and Peters' misgivings about the carnival, board president John Troy said that the school district will use the carnival to help build a stronger relationship with the Mokena community.

Troy added that although the carnival is somewhat undefined, he hopes it will continue to grow after a positive first year.

“There are a lot of issues with the carnival, and I think this is going to be a work in progress,” Troy said. “It is my hope and desire that the carnival be an on going thing. ... In the future, I think this is something, once we've done it, that the PTA and MEF should be doing these types of activities. This will be a learning experience for the board.”

Currently the carnival has 14 sponsors lined up, with total donations from the totaling $4,050. Among the sponsors already lined up for the carnival are: Jersey Mikes Sandwiches, Nancy's Pizza, Rasmussen College, Villa Rosa, the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago White Sox.