Thousands of people turned out on a beautiful sunny day today to throng the Punahou Carnival in Makiki.

There wasn't a parking place in sight. People with funny hats, balloons, kids in strollers munching candied apples and corn on the cob, and smearing chocolate across their mouths, and folks with canes in Punahou caps streamed in and out of the gate in the bright sunshine.

They sat on the grass munching pizza, cheeseburgers, cotton candy, fried noodles, and slurping lemonade and slushies.

Above the din on the madding crowd, ear-splitting screams rang out from brave souls who had taken a chance on death-defying rides like Pharaoh's Fury and the tilt-a-whirl.

The economy may be lousy, but it appeared to have no noticeable effect on the enthusiasm for the annual festival.

"I think that people are here to have a good time," said Amanda Scott, a junior working in the sound booth. She's been at Punahou since the sixth grade. "You can spend $5 or $100. And it goes for our scholarships to help people who are hurting during this time."

Scott said attendance seemed as good as ever this year, probably because "the weather's great."

For more on this story, see tomorrow's Honolulu Advertiser.