Announced by the USPS on November 3, 2023:

Carnival Nights celebrates one of America’s favorite pastimes. The stomach-twisting thrill rides, the indulgent snacks and sweets and the general spirit of lighthearted fun make the nation’s carnivals and fairs a place for visitors of any age to enjoy. Ten new stamps in a pane of 20 feature photographs that convey the energy and color of a summer carnival at night. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps with existing photographs.

Additional information will be posted below the line, with the most recent info near the top.

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Updated May 7^th:
[media advisory] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Celebrate the Magic of Carnival Nights Stamps

What: The U.S. Postal Service is celebrating one of America’s favorite pastimes with its Carnival Nights stamps. The first-day-of-issue ceremony is free and open to the public. News of these Forever stamps is being shared with the hashtag#CarnivalNightsStamps.

Who: June Martindale, U.S. Postal Service, Alabama-Mississippi District manager

Lynda Franc, North American Midway Entertainment, corporate marketing director

Matt McDonnell, Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center, executive director

Greg Chiecko, Outdoor Amusement Business Association, president and CEO

When: Thursday, June 6, 2024, at 6 p.m. Central.

Where: South Mississippi Summer Fair
Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center
2350 Beach Blvd.
Biloxi, MS 39531

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at usps.com/carnivalnights

Background:
Celebrate the thrill and nostalgia of carnival nights with this colorful pane of 20 stamps featuring 10 new images that convey the energy and color of a summer carnival after the sun goes down.

A variety of rides is shown in vibrant neon hues against a black night sky. Fireworks burst from behind a panorama of lights, and a row of glittering amusement booths invite passersby to try their luck.

The photographs depict:

Row one (left to right)
1. Wave Swinger Ride; photograph by Annette Shaff
2. Midway Gondola Wheel and a Ring of Fire; photograph by Annette Shaff
3. Gondola Wheel; photograph by Joe Sohm
4. Round-Up Ride; photograph by Bob Davidson

Row two (left to right)
5. Gondola Wheels; photograph by Aleff Gripp
6. Gondola Wheel; photograph by Pamela Hennessey
7. Carousel; photograph by Sarah Beard Buckley
8. Gondola Wheel and Wave Swinger; photograph by Anthony Totah

Row three (left to right)
9. Gondola Wheel; photograph by Phil Roeder
10. Gondola Wheel, Wave Swinger and Midway Food and Game Booths; photograph by Timothy Hughes

The next 10 stamps repeat in the same order as the first 10.

Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using existing photographs.

The Carnival Nights stamps will travel this summer
The Postal Service will brand a North American Midway Entertainment Ferris wheel with a Carnival Nights stamps banner at the fair. The branded wheel and banner will travel to four fairs throughout the summer:

• Marion County Fair, Indianapolis, June 28 to July 7
• Northern Wisconsin State Fair, Chippewa Falls, WI, July 10 to July 14
• Indiana State Fair, Indianapolis, Aug. 2 to Aug. 18
• Du Quoin State Fair, Du Quoin, IL, Aug. 23 to Sept. 2

Updated May 2^nd:
On June 6, 2024, in Biloxi, MS, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Carnival Nights stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 485100). These stamps will go on sale nationwide June 6, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The

Carnival Nights celebrates one of America’s favorite pastimes. Ten new stamps in a pane of 20 feature photographs that convey the energy and color of a summer carnival at night. A panoply of rides, an amusement booth, and fireworks are shown in vibrant neon hues against the black, night sky. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with existing photographs.

Pane of 20, automatic distribution

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Carnival Nights Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by October 6, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Carnival Nights Stamps
Item Number: 485100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 6, 2024, Biloxi, MS 39530
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Sarah Beard Buckley
Existing Photo: Bob Davidson
Existing Photo: Aleff Gripp
Existing Photo: Pamela Hennessey
Existing Photo: Timothy Hughes
Existing Photo: Phil Roeder
Existing Photo: Joseph Sohm
Existing Photo: Anthony Totah
Existing Photos: Annette Shaff
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.4200 x 0.8400 in. / 36.0680 x 21.3360 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.5600 x 0.9800 in. / 39.6240 x 24.8920 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.2400 x 6.4800 in. / 183.8960 x 164.5920 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 21.7200 x 20.4400 in. / 551.6880 x 519.1760 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: CARNIVAL NIGHTS • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2023 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (485100) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Here are the first day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.32″ x 1.39″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.63″ x 1.20″

Updated April 17^th:
These stamps will be available online for pre-ordering on May 6. USPS collectibles have been added to the U.S. 2024 Stamp Program listing for this issue (“USPS Order Numbers”).

Updated February 23^rd:
These stamps will be issued June 6 in Biloxi, Mississippi, which this year is celebrating its 325th birthday.