The Moonspun Carnival

On the first evening of summer, the Moonspun Carnival would arrive in Moonvale. Colourful tents appeared across the fields, strings of golden lights illuminated the night and music could be heard from every corner of the town. It remained there all summer long, giving the townsfolk somewhere to gather and experience pure, uncomplicated joy.

The carnival was run by the Tumbleweed family, who rolled into Moonvale each year in a procession of brightly painted caravans. Every member of the family had a role to play. Some operated the rides, others performed beneath the striped tents and several simply wandered around, making sure that nobody looked miserable for too long.

Among the attractions were fortune tellers who could reveal what awaited you during the colder months. Their predictions were usually accurate, though they had a habit of saying things such as, “You shall receive a new scarf,” or, “You will face a cold period,” as if either prediction were anything more than normal winter protocol.

There were also magical churro stands scattered throughout the carnival. Anyone who ate one would find themselves in fits of laughter for hours afterwards, although nobody could ever explain what they found so funny. The Tumbleweeds advised visitors not to eat more than two at once, following an unfortunate incident in which Mayor Tilsbury giggled continuously for three days.

At the heart of the carnival stood an enormous Ferris wheel, its carriages decorated with silver stars and crescent moons. It was said that even the most scorned lovers could reconcile by the time their carriage completed a turn. Divorce rates had declined in Moonvale since the Ferris wheel was introduced three years earlier. From the very top, the village appeared peaceful and small beneath the summer sky, and old arguments suddenly seemed far less important.

There were games to play, prizes to win and performers who danced beneath the moonlight. Children chased one another between the tents, young lovers disappeared into the quieter corners and Moonvale’s oldest residents remained long after they claimed that they ought to be in bed. For those few warm months, the carnival belonged to everyone.

Then, as soon as the first signs of autumn appeared, the Moonspun Carnival would vanish. The music would fall silent, the golden lights would disappear and the field would be empty once more. No one knew where the Tumbleweed family went during the colder months.

Most townsfolk believed that they travelled elsewhere, taking their carnival to distant places in need of a little joy. Others insisted that the entire family simply hibernated inside their caravans until summer returned. The Tumbleweeds had never confirmed either theory, although they always arrived the following year looking exceptionally rested.