June 22 was a busy day at the Big Fun Inflatable Park as it was hosting (once again) the 4th Annual Carson's Birthday (turning 12) Bash from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., which helped raise funds for Autism Calgary.
Carson's dad, Dustin Horlacher, is pleased with how it turned out.
"Everything went amazingly. It was a perfect day. We had the mayor come out. We had Spider-Man, we had a princess and a magician. We had representatives from Autism Calgary and many more. Everybody chipped in to do their part."
When asked how many people attended the party, 707 attended, as 570 pre-booked for the event.
He went on to talk about how such a simple idea turned into such a heart-warming event.
"Families look forward to this. Every year, I'm getting more and more people coming out. People are having a great time. Families, especially with children on the spectrum, are in an environment where they can come out and relax, the kids can have fun, and they're not stressed out and worried. They feel included and accepted."
"It's just great to see so many families that can take part and just have fun. That's something special."
Seeing the event grow each year, Horlacher believes the event helps make a difference in some families' lives. He went on to talk about how planning for next year is already underway.
"As of right now, we have a plan for June 14, and if everything goes to plan, hopefully we can double the time slot and double the people."
He concluded by thanking everybody who made the event so special once again. So far, $30,000 has been raised for Autism Calgary but the final number is still being calculated.
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