St. Jude’s Courtyard Carnival had it’s humble beginning around 2006 as a Children’s Ministry event with small children’s games and activities.  In 2014 we realized this was a wonderful venue that could be enjoyed by all ages.  So, in 2015 St. Jude partnered with the Talley Amusement Company to set up a carnival midway with rides along with games and carnival food.  This addition first occurred in 2015 and expanded the Carnival from a one-day event to three days.  In 2018 the Talley experience grew to four days and Thursday nights became Knights of Columbus Night. Our goal was to make this a family-oriented venue for all ages and in turn become a vibrant participant in community activities.   
 
Sponsors are the foundation of our carnival.  Funds generated through our sponsorship program enable us to defray a significant portion of the cost of producing the carnival. Those expenses include safety measures (Police), tents, prizes, and inflatables just to name a few. All proceeds from the four-day event are directed primarily to youth-related activities and infrastructure, community outreach which includes assisting at-need children in our community and funding an occasional youth-oriented project around the church. Last year’s event cleared $114K, thanks to our generous sponsors who covered all the expense to operate the Carnival.
 
In addition to the Talley experience which runs from Thursday through Sunday, the St. Jude Courtyard Carnival is showcased on Saturday along with the Raffle, Silent Auction and Gift Card Pull.   Monies raised are earmarked for local underprivileged children as well as other charitable efforts.
 
While originally reaching nearby neighborhoods, our carnival has grown exponentially and is now enjoyed not only by Allen residents but by all of our surrounding communities.  Interestingly, people travel long distances to attend this event.  We’ve noted attendees from Southern Oklahoma and the western reaches of the Dallas Metroplex. There are activities for all ages during the four-day event.
 
We are thankful for all of our many sponsors, volunteers, Knights of Columbus, carnival committee and staff that help make our carnival a success each year as well as our parishioners and visitors who come to our four days of fun.