Carny Town - Traveling Carnivals, Fairs and Festivals

Florida State Fair live webcam, schedule, and more - from FOX 13 Tampa Bay

It's the 105th Florida State Fair.  Opening day was Thursday, February 5, and the fun and games run through Monday, February 16.  And this year, in keeping with the feeding frenzy that a super football game date brings to the Tampa Bay area, the theme of the 2009 Florida State Fair is Touchdown, Tampa Bay.

via media.myfoxtampabay.com

Stock Show & Rodeo - Sets Up | kens5.com | San Antonio News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather YouNews™

Although the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo does not officially get underway until this coming Thursday, there is plenty of activity on the Joe Freeman Coliseum grounds.

This year's event marks sixty years that San Antonio has been celebrating eighteen days of excitement which includes, livestock expositions, star studded concerts, games, carnival rides and hundreds selling their wares. The first exposition took place on February 17, 1950.

Expectations are strong that more than a million will visit the grounds, surpassing the attendance record of 2009.

Jack Pyland, owner of Jack's French Frys concessions will be operating a breakfast concession stand primarily for the livestock exhibitors, something he has done for the past three years. He will be located away from the midway area and closer to the animal handlers and exhibitors.

"We will be ready to serve our biscuits and sausage gravy and breakfast tacos beginning at 4: am on Thursday," stated Pyland as he supervised the setting up of his food concession stand.

Last year's attendance is reported to be 1,313,785 which was an increase from the previous year which also included seven days where daily attendance records were surpassed.

Butch Doughman from Goliad County was also setting up his original 1867 chuck wagon with the help of family and friends. "This is my eighth year that I have been coming to the San Antonio Show and we are known as the Soup Bone Cattle Company," Doughman said. "We will be having mainly biscuits and gravy with cowboy coffee most of the day, but we might have beans with cornbread and peach cobbler."

Doughman has traveled to other livestock shows in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Waco and most recently took part in the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo in Austin, Texas.

The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo begins on February 4 and ends on Sunday, February 21, 2010. The event will include over 4,000 volunteers and in 2009 generated $1,561,000 in scholarship funds. "

via www.kens5.com

UPDATE: Owner of exotic animals behind bars - KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |

The owner of those exotic animals seized in Marion County is now behind bars herself. Barbara Hoffman is charged with numerous counts of animal cruelty.

In the meantime, the nearly 100 animals seized from her property Wednesday are recovering in county clinics.

"All the big cats are in climate controlled, secured area," said Caroline Wedding, with the Marion County Humane Society. "This cold weather coming in this weekend, they're going to be happy babies...we want their lives to be heaven."

To free them from the filth, Marion County investigators had to cut through the rusted, corroded locks.

"That's just proof that these animals have been left out in the weather forever...their feet are sore due to the fact that they're always on their wet floors, due to standing in their own urine," said Larry Nance, with the Marion County D.A.'s Office.

Now, their cages are clean. Though a temporary home, Marion County says their behavior is improving instantly.

"They're all just what I call purring...they just lay around and push their feet against you [in a] real playful mood," said Nance.

Ironically, their owner, Hoffman, is now also behind bars and under a suicide watch. She used to be an animal trainer with her late husband, but records uncover a trail of trouble since his death.

Before moving to Marion County, Hoffman was kicked out of Edinburg, Texas for the same thing: not registering the wild animals. Investigators say she was also denied a USDA license and began hoarding.

"When you've got 50 small animals in a camper trailer that smells like 18 years of rotting urine, you're not taking care of your animals," said William Gleason, the Marion County District Attorney.

For some of those smaller, domestic cats, it is already too late. Plagued with diseases, some are being euthanized. But, for most, like Hoffman's prized monkey, it is a fresh start, and, hopefully, a happy ending.

via www.kltv.com

Circus Anonymous: ....Marion County seizes large circus cats from Jefferson mobile home....

The US Department of Agriculture and Marion County officials seized dozens of animals from a mobile home on Lewis Chapel Road in Jefferson.

The animals include ten circus cats, each weighing an average of 700 pounds - including six tigers, one cougar, two black panthers and a spotted leopard.

The cats have been living in small cages typically used only for transportation, inside the small mobile home.

There are also ponies, dogs, cats, goats, rabbits, and various fowl on the property. Those animals will be cared for by the local humane society, while the USDA handles the large cats.

Tigers, bobcats, and cougars are just some of the animals, seized from this mobile home, in Marion County.

"I'm in total shock and disbelief," said owner Barbara Hoffman. She owns the animals, she used to perform with them in a traveling circus and doesn't know why they're being taken from her. "I made a mistake and didn't do the footwork myself."

Marion county district attorney Bill Gleason said Hoffmann has been keeping the large cats illegally in this trailer.

"She hasn't complied with any of them she never gave us notice, never filled out an application she never produced liability insurance on the cats," said Gleason.

State law requires a one thousand dollar insurance policy for each cat, but its not just the paperwork authorities are concerned about. These 700 pound animals have been living in eighteen square foot cages. Gleason said those cages should be about 300 square feet.

"The department of agriculture that I talk to today he anticipated the animals had been kept in the cage like this for at least two years," said Gleason.

Hoffmann said that's not true, "No no no these are transport cages. I'm only here a couple of weeks, this is the welcome wagon darling."

Meanwhile Hoffmann's neighbors are happy to see the animals go, it's pretty scary cause I mean my dogs and my cats are very close."

"I'm concerned for their safety I'm concerned how they'll be taking care of," ended Hoffmann. As for now Hoffmann will have to wait until a court date to see her animals again.

via circusanonymous.blogspot.com

Big Cat News: Officials investigate big cats being kept illegally in Texas

Marion County officials called in the United States Department of Agriculture Monday to investigate the home of Barbara Hoffman and Fred Lulling, who are illegally harboring large circus cats.

"There are 10 big cats — six tigers, one cougar, two black panthers and one spotted leopard," said Bill Gleason, Marion County's district attorney, adding the tigers weigh about 700 pounds.

"The veterinarian from the Department of Agriculture went and looked at them," Gleason said.

The cats, which were all living in cages inside of an RV mobile home at 950 Lewis Chapel Road in Jefferson, belong to Ms. Hoffman. She told officials she has been in the circus business for 25 years. She showed them a folder of flyers about her line of work.

"We think she was in Edingburg, Texas, and brought them up here," Gleason said. However, "she's supposed to have a permit for every wild animal."

Gleason said under the law, Ms. Hoffman can be cited for a Class C misdemeanor for not following regulations and sued by Marion County for fines up to $2,000 per day per animal.

Gleason said county officials have been watching the home since 9 p.m. Sunday night after being tipped off.

"We kept someone there to make sure she didn't run off," he said.

Caroline Wedding, president of the Humane Society of Marion County, was also called to the scene to investigate the welfare of additional animals found on the property.

"There were eight horses, Shetland ponies, goats, dogs, cats, rabbits, mice...," said Ms. Wedding, adding they were shut up in the large semi-trailer. "She had these animals, but just wasn't taking proper care of them.

"She has several kinds of ducks, a turkey and lots of chickens," Ms. Wedding added. "Every time we'd open up a door, there would be something else."

"I'm trying to find a place (to take the animals) because we're going to probably try to seize all animals," she said.

"There was no compliance we could find with any state or local laws," Ms. Wedding added.

Ms. Wedding said the RV trailer the animals were living in is what Ms. Hoffman would live in if she was traveling to do a circus.

Ms. Wedding said she does not know how long Ms. Hoffman has been residing in Marion County with her animals, but she does know she purchased the 10 acres of land in August.

The cages Ms. Hoffman kept the wild cats in were not suitable for them to live in.

"They are 4x8 typical circus cages," Ms. Wedding said. "They are fine for transporting, but not living in."

Ms. Wedding said the owners were busy Monday setting up an enclosure for the cats, however, the structure still does not meet state regulations or comply with the county's ordinances.

"It's nothing permanent or anything that will secure them long-term," she said. "We're moving towards getting these cats away from her. She had no license to have them."

Besides inadequate living conditions and no permit, Ms. Wedding said the animals were in questionable health.

"She could not produce any documentation on rabies vaccinations or health certificates," she said. "Since she's been up here, she's had her lion die."

The Humane Society president suspects Ms. Hoffman has lived and traveled several places with her animals.

"Some of her vehicles have Florida tags; some have Minnesota tags," she said. "She admits to being in South Texas."

Ms. Wedding said oftentimes people in the circus business look for places to travel where there think lack ordinances. She said Ms. Hoffman should have contacted the sheriff's office when she moved to Marion County to notify them of her animals.

"When you cross the state line with these animals, it is a problem," Ms. Wedding said. "She is supposed to contact the sheriff's office, advise them what she's bringing in and inform them she has a structure."

Ms. Wedding said she finds it hard to believe that a person

via bigcatnews.blogspot.com

The Daily Reflector

The political scandals and their results are well known by now.

Former state Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps takes a bag of cash from the owner of a carnival ride company and later hands the contract to operate the State Fair midway to said company. She is caught and spends nearly four years in prison.

Former House Speaker Jim Black takes $29,000 from three chiropractors while pushing for legislation to benefit them. He’s caught and sentenced to five years in prison.

Now, former Gov. Mike Easley is under federal investigation, and a former aide, Ruffin Poole, is accused of helping grease the skids for environmental permits while profiting from the same coastal developments under state review. Poole’s federal indictment also accuses him of taking trips on the dime of the projects’ financier.

One aspect of those first two scandals not often discussed is how the folks who appeared more than willing to toss wads of cash at politicians pretty much walked away unscathed.

The New Jersey-based owners of Amusements of America carnival company never faced state or federal charges. A local Rocky Mount man, Norman Chambliss, who took money from the company while working with Phipps to help the owners secure the contract, received a probationary sentence. The three chiropractors who passed money to Black — Fletcher Keith, Thomas Brown and Steve Willen — skipped away without even having their professional licenses suspended. Because the three never faced criminal charges, the professional licensing board decided its hands were tied.

Unlike Black and Phipps, the chiropractors and carnival company owners didn’t betray any public trust. They were and are private citizens, not public officials who had taken an oath to serve the public.

Still, handing over bags or envelops of cash greater than $100 to political candidates is a crime. Doing so with an implicit expectation or promise that those candidates will take specific actions as officeholders is a greater crime.

Often, the people on the other side of the desk (or bathroom stall) aren’t prosecuted because prosecutors depend on them to help make their cases against the public official. Criminal laws, particularly a federal honest services law, also make it easier to go after the politician.

But if prosecutors never go after the folks throwing illegal gratuities at politicians, what message does that send to those trying to influence government?

The answer is obvious. When investment bankers think nothing of offering free trips to public pension fund managers, the taxpayer has a problem. When land developers see no problem offering deals to governors and their aides, examples need to be set.

And who knows how often these offers get turned aside by ethical public officials?

Outside the political sphere, police and prosecutors don’t always focus on one side of the criminal transaction.

They don’t just bust the drug dealers. Sometimes they arrest the users. They don’t just arrest the prostitutes. They occasionally round up the johns.

In politics, some johns may need some jail time.

Scott Mooneyham writes about North Carolina government and politics for the Capitol Press Associated

via www.reflector.com

Darius Rucker: Darius Rucker to sing for Grandstand concert | Entertainment and Showbiz!

Darius Rucker, the Country Singer will be playing the final Sunday Grandstand concert at the Illinois State Fair. The information has been put up on the contract notice published on the website. Ruckerr, the former Hootie and the Blowfish front man has shot to fame with his song “Don’t Think I Dont Think About It”.

His other famous numbers are “It Wont Be Like This for Long” and “Alright”. His well known album “Learn to Live” was released in 2008. His Hootie and the Blowfish was famous in the mid 199o’s because of their songs “Only Wanna Be With You” and “Hold My Hand”. In an interview Rucker was candid to say that he is actually surprised by his tremendous success.

via www.entertainmentandshowbiz.com

National Briefing - Midwest - Michigan - Shrine Circus Loses Home - NYTimes.com

The state said it would not rent a building on the recently shuttered Michigan State Fair grounds for March performances of the 103-year-old Detroit Shrine Circus. The decision is likely to mean the end of the circus, the nation’s oldest Shrine circus, which had been held at the Michigan State Fair coliseum since 1925. It lost that venue last fall when Michigan decided it could no longer afford to operate the 106-year-old fair, also the nation’s oldest.

via www.nytimes.com

State Fair Admission Price to Rise - KIFI - Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Jackson WY - Weather News Sports-

BLACKFOOT  - While the Eastern Idaho State Fair may not be until September, the fair board announced on Friday, they will increase admission this year.

Every ten years the Eastern Idaho State Fair board considers a rise in gate admission prices.

The ticket price will increase by one dollar for adults and children, with adults now costing $6, and kids $2. Children under five are still free.

When compared to other fairs in the region, the Eastern Idaho Fair still proves a better deal for your money.

In addition to senior Wednesdays, the board is also considering a senior discount everyday of the week.

General Fair Manager, Brandon Bird, wants to show fair visitors, once you get in the gate there are more free activities this year than in the past.

"Our hope is that we will be able to continue to grow and build the fair in a way that makes things valuable when you get through the gate," said Bird.  "So that people see the value here at the fair when they come."

The board also plans to make much needed improvements to the fairgrounds over the summer.

Over the next three years, the board has mapped out a plan to improve the fairgrounds in a number of different ways.

This year the board will spend $125,000 on maintenance, including electrical and building improvements, and will repave walkways, which will make it easier for families with strollers.

The board does not plan to build any new structures right now, but does want to plan for the future.  

Last year's fair had the highest attendance in more than four years and to attract even more people this year, the board wants to make these improvements.

"Our hope is that what we do for the next three years, builds the fair for the next 20 years, and what we do over the next 10 years, builds the fair for the next 100 years." said Bird.

Of course they're waiting for the snow to melt before they can begin the work, but plan to have it ready by September.

Those performing at this year's fair will be announced sometime next month.

For more information visit the fair's website http://funatthefair.com

via www.localnews8.com

Whoa, Momma! Free and cheap family fun

Is the state of your wallet in a deep deficit? Here’s some free and cheap things to do until it bounces back:

The quirky Kumquat Festival  has caught the attention of the Travel Channel for its old-fashioned charm. Set in the rolling hills of Dade City, there’s also a farmer’s market, crafts, entertainment, quilt show and kids activities from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday along Meridian Avenue. And the best part is it's free. Go here for more details. www.dadecitychamber.org.

Dozens of the Tampa Bay area’s premier folk musicians perform traditional folk, gospel, country and bluegrass on stages throughout Heritage Village for the Pinellas Folk Festival . You’ll find music being played on everything from the mandolin to the fiddle to a washboard. Crafters will be on hand and you can see blacksmithing and other demonstrations. A $2 donation is suggested, 11 and younger free. Join the festival beginning at 10 a.m. at 11909 125th St. N in Largo.

It’s $5 per baby to see if he’s got power in those Pampers. At the Baby Diaper Derby, babies will compete at the  Holland G. Mangum Recreation Center in Seminole on Saturday, grouped by age in a rattle race and obstacle course. Other contests include cutest smile, parent look-a-like, chubbiest cheeks and perkiest personality. Times are: Newborn- 9 months 9-10:15 a.m.; 10-18 months 10:30-11:45 a.m. at 9100 113th St. N in Seminole.

Even though the weather is supposed to be pretty wet and dreary, krewes are still lining up for the Gasparilla activities planned for this weekend. Now, the kid activities were held last weekend but the city of Tampa and the police are promising that the Tampa events will be much less rowdy. If you feel like you have to take your kids, that's up to you. But it might be a good idea to get a baby sitter and have some fun on your own. The big parade begins at 2 p.m.

The Science Center of Pinellas County has a fun event for star gazers and families at

via blogs.tampabay.com