Carny Town - Traveling Carnivals, Fairs and Festivals

Carny {best viewed large ;-}

Carny {best viewed large ;-}, originally uploaded by deb5376.

Elf killing and other hobbies: Terror in Ohio

Link: Elf killing and other hobbies: Terror in Ohio.

The next two weeks are devoted to the fair in real life. The fair normally doesn't affect me. I could give a rat's ass about rides that don't involve speeds of 90 plus miles per hour. Amusement parks, fine; fair, meh. Unfortunately, this year the fair affects me. The name of the bar I work at: the Fairview. (Hint--the name is literal) That means that for the next two weeks, we have 28 bar shifts that are all Saturday nights. It's huge--both time-wise and money-wise. I'm looking forward to the money. I resent the time. Sitting down last night and trying to tweak the schedule, I realized that I will have to work 12 of the 14 days. TWELVE--translated, that's 72ish hours depending on how long it takes to close. All of those 72 hours I will be tormented by carnies. Have you ever served drinks to carnies? Holy crap---those people can drink and most of them spend the money they SHOULD be using for dentistry work on alcohol. It's scary. They are scary. For the most part they seem like nice folks. That's not the point, though. The point is that my bar is the only bar within walking distance. They are ALL at the Fairview. *wince* I am desperately trying to avoid the Austin Powers line about carnies and cabbage here. Unfortunately, the line is true. They do smell like cab

Santa's Millenium Magical Village pics

Link: Santa's Millenium Magical Village pictures

Santa's Millenium Magical Village

Hildebrand - Harlan Bast

December 9-22, 2006

IBEW Holiday Carnival

West Palm Beach, FL

With the demise of Santa's Magical Village 6 years ago, the Broward County area has not seen much excitement around the holidays. With some dynamic drive thru's the kids have gotten a chance for a little Xmas spirit but no chance to run around and have some fun.

Hildebrand shows who at one time played the "village" is now presenting their own version in addition to the drive thru's...their own Christmas Carnival.

If you are in the South Florida area from Dec 9th through the 22nd, check it out. http://www.hildebrandrides.com/schedule.html

Gibtown is home

Link: The Tamiami Trail.

Jim Carr, Linda Gregory and Darryl Bedell watch from the best seat in a bleak house. Homeless, they pass their days under the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway. When they panhandle enough at the traffic light, they can buy a six-pack of Bud and a tin of Bugler Turkish Blended Tobacco with which they roll cigarettes by hand. They're middle-aged but look older, worn out Walker Evans photographs made flesh. Their lives are about hanging on. They are longtime carnival workers, but the economy is so bad, even carnivals aren't hiring everyone who wants a payday. In a good year, Bedell would be transporting by trailer a Ferris wheel down the Tamiami Trail or to points north along U.S. 41. Carr and Gregory would be running a carnival game called the Rabbit Toss. Instead, they endure. "We're just like them Injuns on the other end of the Trail, bro," Carr says. "We ain't no different." A carnival funnel cakes trailer parked next to a tattoo parlor is as reliable as a city limits sign. For much of the year, carnival workers by the hundreds call Gibsonton home. During the season, they pack their trunks and head up the Tamiami Trail to small towns and churches throughout Middle America. Careers over, retired carnies come home to Gibsonton to live out their days.

Fair's midway operator says he doesn't want Bell's site

Link: Fair's midway operator says he doesn't want Bell's site.

TULSA, Okla. The chairman of the company that operates midway rides during the Tulsa State Fair denies rumors that he wants to take over land now occupied by Bell's Amusement Park. Murphy Brothers Chairman Jerry Murphy says Monday he does not want to enlarge his midway at the fair and that he would not want to do so at the expense of Bell's. The amusement park is facing eviction from its plot at Expo Square, where it has operated since 1951. The amusement park's lease expired November 8th. In a letter last month to the Tulsa County Public Facilities Authority, Murphy says it was, quote, "an absolute fictitious rumor" that one reason the amusement park's lease was not renewed was because Murphy wanted to expand his operation.

State fair gets new director

Link: State fair gets new director.

James Goodrich is no stranger to the Wyoming State Fair. He showed beef cattle there as a child, earning a division reserve championship one year, and returned to judge beef shows. “Times were different then -- people didn’t travel as much,” he said. “At those times, the fair was kind of an exposure to the outside world in some ways.” He remembers watching exhibitors from Kansas to California at the breeding cattle shows, an event which opened his mind to the possibilities the world had to offer -- and, in part, directed him to college and a degree in animal science. Now he’ll see the fair in a different light as the new director. Goodrich replaces Barney Cosner, who resigned in August to head the Nebraska State Fair. Wyoming Department of Agriculture Director John Etchepare said that although Goodrich won’t officially start until Feb. 15, he is visiting with State Fair staff in Douglas and Ag Department personnel in Cheyenne now. Etchepare and a 14-member search committee, which included a handful of Converse County people, received more than 40 applications for the job. Goodrich is currently a stock show manager for the National Western Stock Show in Denver, which runs in January. His official starting date in Douglas%2

Broward County Fair called a success

Link: MiamiHerald.com | 11/27/2006 | Though attendance was down, fair is called a success.

The Broward County Fair, a potpourri of farm animals, funnel cakes, carnival rides and freak shows, wrapped up on Sunday with an 8 percent drop in attendance. But that wasn't such a bad thing. This year, organizers moved the annual fair from the Pompano Park Harness Track in Pompano Beach to Fort Lauderdale Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Anytime an event changes venues, there's about a 10 percent drop in attendance, organizers say. So the 8 percent, or 20,000 fewer than 2005, wasn't all that bad. ''The attendance was pretty good,'' said Ina Nadler, executive director of the Broward County Fair. Last year, the fair had about 324,000 visitors; this year, the 10-day fair had a little more than 300,000. Also, the fair had to contend with nippy days right before Thanksgiving and a few days of unexpected rain. To absorb the anticipated drop in attendance, fair organizers trimmed operating costs by opting to reuse some of last year's street signs and keeping close tabs on the advertising budget. ''We tried to save money like anyone does when they are on a budget,'' Nadler said. Organizers said they knew that Pompano Park would be undergoing an expansion, forcing them to leave the park, so they made the move this year

California Carnival Co. - Welcome

Link: California Carnival Co. - Welcome.

The Best in Family Fun Bright lights, thrilling rides, and the smell of delicious food are all signs that the carnival is in town.

Cole Shows Amusement Co. Inc. ~ All your favorite Amusement Rides, Games and Food

Link: Cole Shows Amusement Co. Inc. ~ All your favorite Amusement Rides, Games and Food.

Providing Modern Amusement Rides, Prize Every Time Games And Delicious Carnival Food For Fairs, Festivals, Corporate Outings And Fund Raisers For The Past 20 Years. Based in Covington VA. Proudly serving Virginia and West Virginia