Christmas carnivals in Covina.

From gate to Santa chairs, a carnival built for Covina.

The gate comes first. The holiday balloon arch spans the entrance in red and white, with candy canes, peppermint balloons and gingerbread figures worked into it. Inside, striped booths hold ring toss, bottle ring, milk can toss, hoopla and other traditional games, each skinned in candy-cane stripes and stocked with prizes. A park path might bend the booths into a loop, while a church lot might push them into an L, and string lights tie the whole arrangement together once the light fades.

Food sits in its own pocket. Guests line up at concession booths for cotton candy, popcorn, nachos, pretzels, churros, snow cones and caramel apples, and the host handles any meal beyond that. Across the midway, Santa and Mrs. Claus occupy the photo-op station so the line has its own space. A walk-in snow globe inflatable gives families a photo prop (nothing falls inside it), and snow-flocked trim on the props finishes the winter look. Tables, chairs, drinks, extra tents and heating belong to the host or the venue.