Janetta Steeley and Rita Jones started the Tigerfest Carnival 28 years ago with one Ferris wheel and a couple 25-cent games.
Now, the carnival is held at the Bellevue Plaza by Big Lots and stretches from one end of the parking lot to the other with rides, games, and food booths.
The carnival has been canceled for the past two years due to COVID-19. This is Bellevue High School’s only fundraising event, making it a crucial part of the school.
“The community really missed having it,” Steeley said. “It’s the thing that goes on right before school is out; the kids have winter fever. They understood not having it the first year, but last year they missed the deadline for it, and the kids thought they should have had it.”
Steeley said the fundraiser typically brings in $5,000 to $7,000 for the school.
“We get a profit from what the carnival does, so even if there is bad weather and we can’t have it, we’ll still profit $5,000,” Steeley said.
The money earned goes toward different prizes and events for students. Two scholarships are awarded to senior students. At their senior dinner, Steeley draws a name to win a laptop. The students can win a TV at prom and money for other various benefits for the kids go to things like their Kings Island Day.
Steeley started the Steeley Community Involvement Scholarship, which gets awarded to two senior students to put toward secondary education.
“I take the applications to the school, and the students fill them out, and they mail them to me,” Steeley said. “I take it to my kids to go over it and judge it and pick the two kids who would be the best fit.”
The carnival provides funds for the students and brings in more people to the area that helps the surrounding businesses.
“We couldn’t do it without all of the businesses down there; they just expect it,” Steeley said. “Without all of their permission, we couldn’t do it. It helps them because it is family-oriented. There is no alcohol, so people can bring their kids and let them ride. People can buy wristbands and ride all day. It’s Big Lots’ biggest day of the year. Donato’s Pizza allows them to tap into their water for the carnival. Each year when I go around, they get very excited. They have to make sure they get more help during that time because they are swamped.”
Steeley said her friend Rita has been dead for 15 years, but Rita’s kids still go to support the carnival that their mother helped to create. Steeley said she has been with the Bellevue school district for almost 50 years, and if anything ever prevents her from working the carnival, she wants her kids to take over.
The carnival will start the second week of May and run Wednesday through Sunday.
