SKATING CARNIVAL

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 3, 28 September 1921, Page 8

SKATING CARNIVAL

A KALEIDOSCOPIC SCENE. Brilliant lighting effects, gorgeous costumes, laughter, music, fun—such marked tho opening last night at the Colosseum roller skating rink, in Vivian Street, of tho skating carnival, which ■promises to bo most successful. Long before the the “grand march” came, crowds were waiting to gain admission; and by eight o’clock the big ball was filled with crowd of men, women, and children. At eight, the band struck up a gay march, and the fun etrlrted. The hall was tastefully decorated. Red, white and blue etreamera hung across the beams of the roof, and flags adorned the central beams. The multicoloured streamers were festooned across file whole of the ceiling, coming together nt a central chandelier, from which hung other streamers, of many colour's. The specteicle presented during tho grand march was kaleidoscopic. Tho costumes of the many hundred deeoteas to “Carnival” wore gorgeous, amusing, weird. The scene presented from the balconies was dazzling—reds, greens, j ellows, purples, and browns being fused together into one everlchanging mass of colour. And the coloured masses of merrymakers, under tho instruction ot attendants’ (conspicuous Iry their sombre black coats), wheeled and turned, always gliding, in many manoeuvres. Thero were soldiers, many of them, in the red of the old Line uniforms, and tho phite and purple of Bengal cavalrymen, there were Red Indians, fearsomely painted, and brandishing terrible tomahawks; Japanese and Chinese lads and (asses; Spanish girls, in mantillas; h tlreek soldier, of the Imperial Guard, in hi? curious kilted uniform, with the white tights and tassled shoes; Russian Cossacks, Dutch girls, harlequins, pierrot? end pierottes, pyjama girls—and every possible kind of person. A skeleton gaunt,-his bones, outlined in white on ’a black ground, his mask set .‘.t a jaunty angle, terrorised the young children, who gazed eagerly from the parquet galleries near the skating floor; and there was a human donkey, who caiorted gailv round a scarecrow; a veiled woman, a coster, "wiv real pearl buttons —and a übiquitous parson. A little Cupid (Ken. M’DonaTd), five years old, fascinated the onlookers. After tho grand march, came the. unmasking, and much laughter. Scions of tho ancient Scottish nobility danced the two-step with grimy Hindu potentates; "scarlet troubadours” waltzed gaily with scarecrows, and the skeleton foun i ■ great fun dancing with the fat girl. . The children present were quite a ieaturo of the carnival, their costumes being delightful and varied. ’ Then the serious business of the carnival began. Several competitions were hold, including races, in some of wlncn the competitors made very fast progress indeed on'their skates. The results of the competitions are as Ladies’ Fan hnd Balloon Race.—Mrs. Porter, 1: Miss Arline Power, 2. One Milo Championship of Yc’hnfton— H. Greenbank, 1; J. Woland. A. M'Donald, 3. There were six The race gave a fine exhibition of speed that can be attained by a f->-t skater. The winner covered uif tAAenn laps in a remarkably short time Musical .chairs Anfi , tin ‘ Much fun was created by this event. Men’s Half-mile Hurdle Race.-R. Whittington, 1; A. M’Donald, -■ The carnival will be continued this evening.