By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
It's been a busy week and active start to the season for the Flyers, and that doesn't change on Sunday.
The Flyers will host the 40th annual Flyers Wives Carnival on Sunday afternoon from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are still available on the Flyers website.
It's a special year for the Flyers with their 50th anniversary season and a special year for the Carnival, which celebrates a 40th year.
The first Flyers Wives Carnival took place on Feb. 1, 1977. The event was started in honor of Barry Ashbee, the legendary Flyers defenseman who passed away from leukemia later that year. From then on, the Carnival has been about raising money for cancer research in Ashbee's memory.
The first Carnival in 1977 raised over $85,000. In 39 years, the Carnival has raised over $28 million.
As the Flyers celebrate a season which proves their longevity, the Carnival too has stood the test of time, serving as one of the longest-running charity events for a sports franchise.
Early admission starts at 1:30 p.m. and general admission follows at 3 p.m.
Many of the familiar features from last year return. The Ferris wheel and carousel will be stationed on the event floor with other carnival games scattered throughout the event floor and concourse.
The Flyers will once again offer the opportunity for fans to get up-close to players and alumni for autographs and photographs and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms will also be in attendance for the second straight year.
Four autograph/photograph combo booths are available – Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek, Wayne Simmonds and Shayne Gostisbehere – in combo booths that were available for pre-sale. These tickets allow for two autographed items and a photo with the player of your choice. You can still purchase tickets for combo booths with Voracek and Simmonds. Giroux and Gostisbehere are sold out.
Also returning are the mystery bags, the various activities for fans of all ages around the concourse and the Shot of Goal. New this season is the opportunity to see some of the NHL's individual awards. In years past, the Stanley Cup would make an appearance at the Carnival for photo opportunities. This season, you can see the Hart Trophy, Vezina Trophy, Masterton Award, Campbell Trophy and Prince of Wales Trophy.
A full schedule of locations for the players is available at the Flyers website and lists the entrance points for autographs and photographs.
With the Carnival hitting 40, do you have a favorite memory from past years or is the Carnival an annual tradition for you? Let us know of any special memories you have on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.
For fans attending today, enjoy the Carnival and remember the cause that it supports and has supported so well for 40 years now.
