Victorian Carnival Comes to UES

By [Pauline Tran] Conjuring up the fear and delight of childhood and a nostalgia for the past, the Park Avenue Armory hosted an old-fashioned carnival over Columbus Day weekend (the carnival mimics the original fair held there in 1879). Housed in the 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall was a fete to tickle the young and old, including a 50-foot tall Ferris Wheel, jugglers, contortionists, magicians and mimes, plus a delectable offering of sweets (cotton candy, caramel apples, cheesecake) and savories (pickles and chicken) on a stick. Under the direction of Hickey Shields Design (who sports high-profile clients, such as W Hotels, New York City Ballet, Brooklyn Academy of Music and Adidas, to name a few), the carnival"s decor resembled a mix of Tim Burton"s production The Nightmare Before Christmas and his latest Technicolor directorial endeavors, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Alice In Wonderland.