Flyers Charities Carnival ends busy weekend at Xfinity Mobile Arena

Xfinity Mobile Arena’s busy weekend ended with a bang as it hosted the annual Flyers Charities Carnival on Sunday. Less than 24 hours after the 76ers’ 2001 reunion night, the throwback hardwood floor was replaced with a mini hockey rink, a carousel, and a large Ferris wheel that acted as the centerpiece of the event.

“When you think about it, we had a hockey game, Unrivaled, and we had an NBA basketball game,” said Comcast Spectacor CEO Dan Hilferty. “Here we are the next day, celebrating a carnival with everything from a Ferris wheel and a dunk tank to all that goes along with a carnival.

“It’s a great thing. Flyers Carnival is all about the community and it’s all about our fans having the opportunity to meet players and do fun carnival things.”

Fans had the opportunity to play a number of favorite carnival games, including some water gun fun, Skee-Ball, ax throwing, and a dunk tank that featured WIP’s Hunter Brody. And for 12-year-old Ryan Reagoso, despite a cast on his left foot, the dunk tank was the perfect opportunity to show off his pitching arm.

“It was fun and I want to do it again,” Reagoso said.

Flyers players interacted with fans throughout the event — signing memorabilia, posing for photos, and competing in a number of games set up within the arena, including a challenge that gave fans a chance to shoot on the goalie. Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae participated in ax throwing and defenseman Cam York had a good day on the ping-pong tables.

“I think I went undefeated,” York said. “So, I don’t think I struggled much. But it’s super fun to interact with the fans. It’s something that’s a little bit different.”

The Flyers’ charity event has been going on since 1977. Flyers coach Rick Tocchet was able to experience the carnival in its earlier years when he was a player for the team. Now he has a good time experiencing it as a coach.

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“It’s funny because I’ve seen some fans from back in the day when I played,” Tocchet said. “I’m just impressed with how much money they have raised throughout the years. It’s incredible how it started and where it’s gotten to.”

For 13-year-old Michael Chaic, this has become a tradition started by his father, who grew up attending the carnivals. Sunday was the third carnival Chaic attended and he came prepared, bringing a Tyson Foerster game-used stick to get signed. But he did have his eyes set on another item up for auction.

“That signed [Matvei] Michkov helmet was pretty eye-catching,” Chaic said. “So, we’re probably going to have to put some raffle tickets in there.”

There were plenty of other items up for auction, including a team-signed decorative board, a Sam Ersson-signed set of goalie pads, and a Trevor Zegras-autographed replica stick. Fans could also get gift baskets full of the players’ favorite things. Some of the items featured in York’s favorite things basket were drink coasters, gummy worms, Uno cards, a signed hat, and a cat towel.

“I feel like I’m known as the cat guy now,” York said. “But, I have three cats of my own right now. [The towel] is something I use around the house all the time. To all my cat people out there, stay strong. I love you guys and keep catting along.”

The event raises money for Flyers Charities’ efforts to support local families impacted by cancer and to grow hockey in communities that may not have it.

And with next year being the carnival’s 50th anniversary, fans can expect something special.

“We’re going to have some really special activations next year that we can’t share yet,” said Blair Listino, the board chair of Flyers Charities. “But, we’re going to make that a really special event because that is the 50th-year anniversary. And every year we get feedback from our fans. We get feedback from our players. We’re just going to try to make it more interactive and more special for all of them.”

The Flyers loaned goalie Aleksei Kolosov to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League on Sunday. The move could hint that Sam Ersson, who left Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury, is healthy enough to return.