PTA’s event on Saturday aims to raise more than $27K for students
The West Sedona School PTA’s Wildcat Carnival is unleashing the fun with its annual community celebration on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at West Sedona School, located at 570 Posse Ground Road.
The carnival is open to the public and serves as a fundraiser for local public education.
“This year we’re going to have more bounce houses,” PTA President Tyler Woo said. “We have an inflatable obstacle course, as well as an inflatable soccer match. We’re going to have more games than last year, better prizes this year to include Pokémon cards, and we have some of the top food trucks local to the Verde Valley that will be there serving up food.”
Wristbands that include unlimited rides and games are available day of for $20 a person, or presale wristbands are available for $10 at the front gate of WSS from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. until Friday, Oct. 23.
While the front parking lot always fills up fast, Woo said he anticipates the new auxiliary dirt parking lot next to the Sedona Posse Grounds Hub should alleviate many parking headaches for this year.
A lineup of food trucks will be available from Mexican food and barbecue to various dessert options. The PTA sets up a snack bar that will be slinging hot dogs, along with soda and ice cream.
Additionally, newly designed WSS spirit wear will be unveiled and available at the carnival.
The PTA is run by a four-member executive board of parent volunteers. The carnival is its largest fundraiser, ideally covering requests for the whole school year, Woo said. “Our mission is to make every possibility for students a reality,” he said.
The 2025 Wildcat Carnival raised $27,000, according to Woo, and the PTA hopes to exceed that in 2026. The funds from 2025 went to everything from water bottle refilling stations, new playground equipment, anti-bullying assemblies, composting programs and community events, such as a movie night, and having students distribute Valentine’s Day cards to the residents of Sedona Winds Assisted Living in the Village of Oak Creek.
“The PTA was also able to do teacher wish lists after the carnival last year, and we were able to fund the needs of the requests they had,” Woo said. “We look forward to doing that again this year. But we’re also going to just kind of fill the needs as they come in.”
“You come out to the carnival to just experience our school community, which is stronger than ever, in my opinion,” Woo said. “They can come and check out our beautiful campus. We have a 360-degree panoramic view everywhere you look. They could also come out and enjoy our food trucks that we’ll have on site.”
“It’s a family-friendly event, so their grandkids or relatives are definitely welcome to come, if they’re visiting. It’s just an opportunity to spend a beautiful day in Sedona.”
If the Wildcat Carnival is canceled or postponed due to weather or circumstances beyond its control, all donations and ticket sales will remain with the PTA, according to its website.
For more information about the Wildcat Carnival 2026 and to get involved with the WSS PTA, visit westsedonapta.com.
