Dartmouth Mall Carnival Will Once Again Offer Food This Year

DARTMOUTH (WBSM) — When the carnival returns to the Dartmouth Mall parking lot beginning Thursday night, there will also be something else returning as well – the beloved carnival food.

Fiesta Shows has confirmed to WBSM that it will have goodies available for sale such as fried dough, french fries, sausages and more.

Food booths were already laid out in the mall parking lot on Wednesday, including an ice cream and milkshake stand.

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The carnival will begin on Thursday, May 2 and run through Sunday, May 12. It will be open May 2 and 3 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., May 4 and 5 from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., May 6-10 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and May 11-12 from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The return of carnival food comes after no food was available last year. There had been rumors that this was due to mall management requesting no food be offered in order to drive carnival attendees into the mall to eat.

The carnival had always had food in the past, but the rumor last year was sparked by the fact that the carnival was in a new location in the back parking lot, closer to the mall food court.

Beth Zager, Senior Marketing Director for the Dartmouth Mall, recently told Dartmouth Week that the reason behind no food last year was because “the mall did not start the permitting process early enough for it.”

This year, the carnival will return to the front of the mall after neighbors complained about the noise and lights last year. It will be in the parking lot between Taco Bell and Buffalo Wild Wings.

READ MORE: Dartmouth Mall Neighbors Complain of Carnival Noise

The carnival will also have Fiesta Shows’ new policy on minors in effect. The policy requires all children under the age of 18 to be accompanied by a “parent, guardian or chaperone” and that person must stay with them at all times.

They also are subject to having to show identification to enter the carnival and each adult can only chaperone up to four minors while at the carnival.

Failure to follow the new policy could result in ejection from the carnival and no refund for the admittance fee.

READ MORE: Dartmouth Carnival: No One Under 18 Without an Adult

The new policy came as the result of an incident at the Weymouth Carnival on April 19, also put on by Fiesta Shows, in which fights broke out leading to an 18-year-old from Brockton being arrested, a Brockton juvenile being issued a criminal complaint, and one person injured.

Dartmouth Police Chief Brian P. Levesque recently told WBSM that Fiesta Shows is responsible for enforcing the new rules.

“The carnival's policy regarding minors will be enforced by the carnival employees,” Chief Levesque said.

READ MORE: Dartmouth Police Chief: Carnival Will Enforce New Policy on Minors