Carnicus began at UT in 1929 when the All Campus Events Committee combined the carnival and the circus into one activity. George Abernathy, a member of the All Students’ Club, coined the name. The celebration ended with the crowning of the first Carnicus Queen Pauline Buster. As Carnicus evolved over the years, more emphasis was placed on skit competitions, eliminating the parades, dances, and crowning of the queen.