Flyers Cһаrіtіes Cаrnіvаl 2024 Wаs A Suссess!

The Philadelphia Flyers hosted their 45th annual Charity Carnival! Players such as Jamie Drysdale, Garnet Hathaway, Morgan Frost, and more were impressed with Philadelphia's passion for an event that does good in the community.

The Philadelphia Flyers proudly hosted their 45th annual Flyers Charities Carnival, a unique and joyous event that offers fans a chance to give back to the community. This isn't just any carnival- it's a celebration of our shared love for the Flyers and our community. Every penny from the Carnival goes to Flyers Charities, a cause that resonates with us all. You can enjoy many FREE activities at the Carnival, from riding the carousel ferris wheel to getting balloon animals. Also- Gritty was out and about!

For a small fee, you can engage in exclusive experiences like playing carnival games with the Flyers players, attempting to dunk the person in the dunk tank, shooting pucks on the ice, and more! And let's remember the exciting auctions for player jerseys, pucks, and more.

The Significance Of Flyers Charities

With so many activities going on, it was best to ask the President of Flyers Charities, Blair Listino, about the significance of Flyers Charities.

Q: What is the significance of the Flyers Charities Carnival?

Listino: "The Flyers Charities Carnival is not just about raising money; it's about making a significant impact in our community. It's a gathering of families, where you can meet all the players and alums. It's a fun-filled event with a purpose: the proceeds go towards causes that make a difference. It's about growing the game of hockey, supporting organizations like the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, and leveling the playing field by providing equipment to communities that may not have it. It's about doing good while having a great time."

Q: What are some of the causes Flyers Charities works with that the community should know about?

Listino: "There are two main pillars. The first is the growth of the game of hockey. Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation is one of our most significant partnerships. We also work with Leveling The Playing Field, which is an organization that brings equipment to communities that may not have it. We know some of those sticks and equipment can be expensive. The Carnival also started due to cancer by supporting local communities impacted by cancer, and we went to Ronald McDonald House a couple of weeks ago with the players and donated to that organization."

The Flyers Players' Thoughts On The Carnival's Impact

One of the main draws of the Carnival is the ability to meet the Flyers players, and the players are just as excited to meet the fans.

Morgan Frost: "I like being out here playing games with fans. This is awesome, and it is nice to see everyone so excited. The Fans are GREAT!"

Garnet Hathaway: (On ladder toss) "The kids are sneaky good, and whoever is tailgating this thing is good too. Meeting the fans today has been excellent. This is my first one, and it's the first time I've interacted with the fans face-to-face. Just seeing the passion every fan has, it's obvious. You hear about it and can hear it in the game when they show up and support us. Having events like this, you can chat about the game, and the passion is so obvious."

Tyson Foerster: "It's my first time doing this, and it's pretty awesome to see how many people showed up. It's great for charity. Even seeing the fans and getting their autographs signed is excellent for us. Every night, we come in here (Wells Fargo Center) and try to perform for them, and they put on a show for us as well."

Tyson Foerster playing Giant Pong. Photo credit: Haley Taylor Simon THN

Nick Seeler: "I've only played "washers." It's a little different because we play the game back home in Minnesota with sand and a paint can in the summer. (Seeler explained the game in more detail) I've been doing good today, but the fans are great players. The support our fans give every single year, especially this year. The excitement is back in our building, and showing our appreciation is fun."

Nick Seeler playing Washers. Photo Credit: Haley Taylor Simon THN

Travis Sanheim: "I've been by myself all day, so having a teammate within Marc Staal is nice to play "Giant Pong" with. This is just a great event that the Flyers put on. The fans always show up. It's nice to be out and about with the fans and interact with them. It's been a good experience."

Jamie Drysdale: "It's been crazy and awesome! I had yet to figure out what to expect when coming in here. I heard a lot about it (Carnival), but it's lived up to everything I was told plus more. There are many people here, and it's great to see them. I couldn't count how many people I've met today. Also, I got a lot of bracelets."

My Dunk Tank Experience

When the Flyers organization asked me to be the first participant of the day in the dunk tank, I said yes without realizing what that entailed. With a 20-minute timeslot, I must have been dunked over 30 times! When a kid missed the target, I let them push the button to dunk me, which put a smile on everyone's face

The most pressing question I received was about the water temperature; I can confirm it was warm! The Flyers President of Hockey Operations, Keith Jones, took enjoyment in me getting dunked, as did Garnet Hathaway. Overall, it was an experience I will remember for life.

Your experiences

Philadelphia has the BEST fans, and it showed when I met those who traveled from all over the country to attend. Jenn, from Southern Maryland, attended the Carnival due to her eight-year-old son's passion for meeting his favorite player, Garnet Hathaway!

Jolie came with her dad from Kansas to meet her favorite players, Cam York and Jamie Drysdale. Others, like Ava, made the infamous Pennsylvania road trip from Pittsburgh!

Overall, this event raised a lot of awareness towards many different charities. The biggest celebrity fans talked about was "Grace," a cute pup up for adoption from the SPCA.