Carny Town - Traveling Carnivals, Fairs and Festivals

3 rescued from carnival ride

CANTON (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - Three children had to be rescued from a ride at a carnival in Canton on Sunday afternoon.

The kids were suspended -- some as high as 40 feet in the air -- when the Roll o Plane ride got stuck during a carnival at the Trinity Episcopal Church.

Firefighters were called in to rescue the three kids.

One little girl was reportedly taken to a hospital and treated for dehydration. That ride was closed, though the carnival remained open.

The carnival's last day in Canton is on Monday. There was no word what caused the accident

via www.myfoxboston.com

Crowds line up for Orange Festival's opening day - Redlands Daily Facts

SAN BERNARDINO - Lexi Ramirez, 5, of Colton couldn't wait until she had a slice of pizza on Thursday afternoon, opening day at the Orange Show Festival.

"It's really good," she said between bites.

Her younger brother, Ryan, 2, nodded in agreement.

Later, they were looking forward to ice cream, said their grandmother, Dot Garcia, also of Colton.

For nearly a century, the National Orange Show has been bringing juicy fun to San Bernardino.

Crowds of people lined up on opening day, streaming through the entrance, where game booths, food vendors, midway and carnival rides spread out around the venue's centerpiece lagoon.

San Bernardino native Patsy Lara waited in line with her daughter and granddaughters.

"I've been coming here every year since 1960," Lara said.

Leriha Lara, 10, said she couldn't wait for the carne asada tacos and a ride on the Crazy Coaster.

Freshly squeezed fun includes free, live entertainment (with paid admission), attractions, art exhibits, animal shows, state-of-the-art carnival rides and community stage performances.

Presented by GCF Events and Ray Cammack Shows, the festival runs through Memorial Day on Monday and is jam-packed with new shows and traditional favorites.

Donald Ruiz, a die-hard Orange Show fan, said he hasn't missed the festival since the days of the Swing Auditorium and the wooden roller coaster in the 1950s and '60s.

via www.redlandsdailyfacts.com

Cheap Trick set for state fair - Omaha.com

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – Cheap Trick is the latest band to be added to the 2011 Nebraska State Fair concert lineup.

The 1970s band, best known for its hit song, “I Want You to Want Me,” will perform a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5, at the Heartland Events Center, said Chelsey Jungck, State Fair special events coordinator.

Concertgoers will need a wristband, which will be available the morning of the concert on a first-come, first-served basis. Concert entry does not include gate admission.

Cheap Trick has performed more than 5,000 shows, sold more than 20 million records and has 40 gold and platinum recording awards to its credit. The band’s most current release, “The Latest,” has garnered glowing reviews worldwide as the group celebrates 35 years together.

Other free acts already announced for the fair include the Band Perry, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26; Crystal Gayle, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 31; Jeremy Camp, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1; and LeAnn Rimes, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2.

Those concerts also will require wristbands.

via www.omaha.com

Faces of the New York State Fair (with photos) | syracuse.com

There’s no word yet on the butter sculpture — and there won’t be until one day before the New York State Fair opens Aug. 25, but the fair director is willing to give up some information about what’s new this year.

Look for new street performers, which is how the fair describes the free entertainment scattered about the grounds. Like the guy outside the Horticulture Building who breaks into an aria or a statue along a byway that suddenly starts to move.

New this year will be high energy break-dancers and a high-speed painter, among
others, fair Director Dan O’Hara said.

The fair continues to put more resources into the free acts at Chevy Court. It used to
have 11 Grandstand acts and is down to seven, a shift aimed at raising the level of talent at the free shows, O’Hara said. There will once again be two free acts daily at Chevy Court, at 2 and 8 p.m.

‘‘The idea is to make that the best free entertainment venue in the country, and based on attendance numbers at the various shows, we’re certainly achieving that,’’ O’Hara said.

Last year, Lady Antebellum drew a crowd of 30,000, he said. The acts have averaged
crowds of 10,000 to 11,000, he said. He predicts the talent this year will draw crowds of
17,000 and 18,000. O’Hara said that the quality of the entertainment, rather than the weather, seems to be the big factor that influences overall fair attendance.

Rain doesn’t keep people away in droves because they know they can pop into a
building and check out the exhibits, acts, food or beverages until the rain stops. As for
heat, the fair in the last several years put in more seating and shaded areas, O’Hara said.

If you go...

What: New York State Fair
When: Aug. 25 to Sept. 5
Where: State Fairgrounds, Geddes
Tickets: $6 until the day before the fair; $10 at the gate. Children 12 and younger, free.
Parking: $5 per vehicle.

This year the fair is building a new concession on restaurant road and there will be more
seating with umbrellas, he said.

Weather notwithstanding, the fair is a major draw. Make that the major draw, according
to O’Hara.

‘‘This is the largest event held by New York state and we just encourage people to
come out. We continue to provide opportunities for people to learn about agriculture,
which is the largest industry in the state of New York,’’ he said.

Admission prices and the price of parking will hold steady this year. Admission
will be $10 at the gate or $6 until the day before the fair.

Children 12 and younger get in free. Parking will be $5 per vehicle.

To keep abreast of events, go to: nysfair.org.

via blog.syracuse.com

Per-hour pay hike means no more Raleigh officers at State Fair :: WRAL.com

Raleigh, N.C. — They have been a fixture at the North Carolina State Fair for 30 years, but beginning this fall, Raleigh police officers will no longer be doing double duty protecting fairgoers.

The fair typically employs 75 to 100 Raleigh officers to work security each year, but a change in per-hour pay has put an end to that long-held relationship.

Last year, the fair paid officers an hourly rate of $26.68 and planned to increase that to $29.35 this year. However, Raleigh police created a secondary employment policy, which says any officer working off-duty must make $35 per hour.

The new police policy doesn't go into effect until 2012, but fair officials said they wanted to begin the transition this year and get new security personnel in place.

State Fairgrounds Police Chief Joel Keith says he considers Raleigh officers to be part of the "State Fair family" and that he's sad to see them go.

"They have to make a business decision about what they think their rate ought to be for off-duty (work). And likewise, we have to make a business decision without compromising public safety at the same time," Keith said.

Wake County sheriff's deputies will fill most of the security vacancies, according to Keith.

Raleigh Police Chief Harry Dolan said the decision to institute a $35-per-hour fee was decided two years ago.

"(The policy) ensures that off-duty employers are treated equitably and that our sworn personnel are compensated appropriately for the exceptionally high-quality services they perform," Dolan said in a statement. "The rate of pay is non-negotiable in order to avoid the negative professional aspects of appearing to bid against other police and security service providers."

The local Teamsters Union, which represents several hundred Raleigh police officers, calls the change "unfortunate."

"The officers' families (rely on) this income to support their cost of living," said Teamsters spokesman Chris Roth. "It is a deep concern (among officers)."

The State Fair paid Raleigh police officers:

• $389,439 in 2010
• $413,811 in 2009
• $368,717 in 2008

In total, the State Fair paid the following amounts for all security personnel, which includes Raleigh police, Wake sheriff's deputies and State Fairgrounds police:

• $691,535 in 2010
• $690,045 in 2009
• $489,070 in 2008

Raleigh City Manager Russell Allen said there's plenty of work to go around and that the officers' new per-hour rate is competitive.

Fair officials say security remains a top priority and that the only change the public will notice is the lack of blue Raleigh police uniforms. 

via www.wral.com

Fiesta Days carnival starts today in Vacaville - The Reporter

Ready for some fun?

It's carnival time today in Vacaville, with the annual Fiesta Days event opening at 3 p.m. in Andrews Park near Great Wonders playground.

Ample sunshine is predicted, which makes for a perfect day to enjoy a multitude of midway rides, indulge in delicacies like cotton candy and simply spend quality time with friends and family.

Meanwhile, the beer garden opens and marks the start of live musical performances, scheduled daily through Memorial Day Monday. Pop Fiction is set to take the CreekWalk Stage at 6:15 tonight and rock out till 9 p.m.

It took a lot to get everything ready in time, with Wednesday's rains upsetting plans at the height of setup.

Great attitudes -- like that of carnival crew member Eric Rich -- likely had a hand in the successful outcome.

"We know when it rains, it's gonna be a good fair because everything's gonna grow," explained Rich, as he helped fellow crewman Daniel Flores put up a long-range basketball game. As the hot pink and blue booth came together, Flores offered a tip to winning the game and snagging a prize.

"You just gotta be a good shot," he said with a laugh.

Wet weather didn't dampen Steve Austin's frame of mind, either.

"We'll get it done," the team leader promised, lugging power cords across the sodden grass. No stranger to setups, Austin's been in the business for 30 years. He cited a love for fellow staffers, who make the atmosphere a fun one to work in.

via www.thereporter.com

Celebrating 75 years of the Sacramento County Fair | Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

This year’s Sacramento County Fair is no ordinary year for this annual event. In addition to celebrating its 75th year, the fair also faces unprecedented financial challenges.

The Sacramento County Fair, which opens today at noon and continues through Memorial Day, provides entertainment for the entire family. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

As the five-day fair, which begins today, May 26, neared its 2011 opening, T.J. Plew, the fair’s CEO and manager, sat down with the Arden-Carmichael News to explain why this year is a very unique and important year for the fair when it comes to its finances.

“This is a crucial year for the fair, as we anticipate planning our fair without state funding,” Plew said. “The eradication of fair funding will eliminate up to 50 percent of the Sacramento County Fair’s operating expenditures. This will affect our ability to produce the fair that the community expects and to provide the free school programming we know is needed. Having a good fair this year will provide the needed momentum to overcome the financial challenges in the coming months.”

With his hope that more people take advantage of the fair this year, Jim Vietheer, chair of the fair’s board, emphasized the entertainment value that the fair provides for local families.

“(The county fair) is a very much family-oriented event,” Vietheer said. “If the public is looking for a place to take their family that is reasonably inexpensive without having to drive a long way, which is certainly another expense, (the fair) is a great destination for the Memorial Day weekend.”

Continuing a tradition

Galt FFA member Walt Hoyt stands alongside his 1,349-pound steer at the 2007 Sacramento County Fair. Livestock auctions are a tradition of the fair, which has been held in Sacramento since 1954./ Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Few local events can boast such a longtime tradition as the Sacramento County Fair, which has been held at Cal Expo since 1969, with the exception of 1990, when Cal Expo’s Livestock Pavilion was under construction. For that single year, the fair was located in two separate venues: the Galt Livestock Market in the south Sacramento County city of Galt and the Placer County Fairgrounds in Roseville. The event’s inclusion of the Roseville site marked the first and only time that the fair was held outside of Sacramento County.

For three quarters of its 75 years, the fair has been hosted in the capital city, as the event was relocated from its original venue in Galt in 1954.

After 17 years of being held at the present site of the Galt Flea Marke

via www.valcomnews.com

Volunteers hope carnival eases deficit - Community Times: News

The Owings Mills Volunteer Fire Co. is holding its annual summer carnival in June, but volunteers are concerned that even their biggest fundraiser of the year won’t forestall an anticipated $68,000 deficit.

The carnival, returning to the Owings Mills mall parking lot June 15-25, has been for years the volunteer company’s biggest money maker.

In years past, the week-long event complete with a lighted Ferris wheel, rides, midway games and cotton candy, would pull in $60,000, or more – a hefty chunk of the annual budgets that now top $500,000.

Last year’s carnival proceeds came to about $33,000, according to company board member and past-president Harry Wallett.

“Right now, our proposed budget for this year is $547,677.85,” Wallett said. “That’s the total projected expenses. Our full income projected is $479,345.04.”

“That’s a deficit of $68,332.81,” he added.

Wallett said donations are down for many of the company’s other fundraisers, including its door-to-door collections and mailers.

This year, the budget does not include new major equipment purchases.

“That’s just for running the facility,” Wallett said.

But for the volunteer company, one expense may prove too costly to continue.

“One of the problems we need to address is, the last couple of years operating the ambulance has put us in a deficit,” Wallett said.

The Owings Mills Volunteer Fire Co. has a paid Emergency Medical Service (EMS) staff working from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“It’s because of the load level,” Wallett said.

The busiest volunteer fire company in Baltimore County, the Owings Mills fire house responded to 2,283 fire suppression calls and 1,995 EMS calls last year.

So far this year, volunteers have answered 1,016 fire calls.

“Most of the day, the ambulance is not in the station, it’s on call. From one call to another,” Wallett said. “Volunteers can’t handle that. They have jobs to go to. That’s why we had to go to the paid people to keep it running.”

But Wallett said that $44,200 of the $68,300 deficit is from the paid EMS operation.

“Right now we’re taking it from the savings account and we’re to the point now where we can’t take it out of the savings account,” he said. “We can’t afford to do it.”

With about 100 members, of which about half are active, Wallett said the station can’t fully staff an ambulance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with only volunteers.

One sticking point, that Wallett said should change, is that Baltimore County does not charge for ambulance service. Wallett said other jurisdictions in Maryland do charge.

“But Baltimore County doesn’t,” Wallett said. “If we could bill we wouldn’t have that problem.”

“The only thing we can do as a volunteer company is we send out a donation letter afterward asking for a donation,” he added. “We can’t continue running a $44,000 deficit on our service.”

But Elise Armacost, county fire spokeswoman, said the county has “a long-standing history of not charging for that service, and we have no plans to charge.”

Armacost said the county supports volunteer fire companies with grants and other funding, totaling $5.7 million over the 33 stations.

Wallett said he hopes the carnival continues to bring in thousands of dollars, but the event is heavily weather dependent for a good turnout.

“If we get seven days of rain during the carnival, we won’t make any money – so the $68,000 [deficit] will

via www.carrollcountytimes.com

State Fair's 2011 Free Entertainment Lineup Features More Than 100 Diverse Acts

ST. PAUL, MINN. (05/24/2011)(readMedia)-- The Minnesota State Fair's 2011 free entertainment lineup features more than 100 acts-all free with the price of admission.

This year's Leinie Lodge Bandshell Tonight! Series features Morris Day & The Time, Ricky Skaggs, Don Felder (formerly of The Eagles), The Midtown Men (four stars from the original Broadway cast of Jersey Boys), Dr. John & The Lower 911 and Tapes 'n Tapes.

The Leinie Lodge Bandshell's daytime entertainment includes: Bob Wootton - The Songs and Sounds of Johnny Cash, Amanda Shaw and The Cute Guys, Will Hoge, The Quebe Sisters Band, Marcia Ball, Jason Jones, 34th Infantry Division "Red Bull" Band, Paulette Carlson, Street Corner Symphony, Squeezebox, Heybale!, Johnny Reid, Jana Anderson, Junior Brown, Tonic Sol-fa, Joe Robinson, The Cleverlys, The McClymonts and The Bad Larrys.

Acts confirmed for Bazaar After Dark at the International Bazaar Stage (sponsored by Summit Brewing Co.) are The Belfast Cowboys, Free and Easy, Rubber Soul - Beatles Tribute, Ronn Easton's All Star Soul Revue, Boiled In Lead and High & Mighty.

Rogue Valley, The Twilight Hours, The Barley Jacks with Brian Wicklund, Deke Dickerson, Alison Scott and White Iron Band will perform evenings at the Heritage Square Stage (sponsored by August Schell Brewing Co.) for the Heritage At Sundown Series.

Rescued from animal shelters around the country, Doggies of the Wild West are new to the fair in 2011 and take fair guests back in time with their comedic stunt show. Flippenout, a high-energy trampoline show, debuts at The X-Zone and features world-class athletes reaching heights of more than 25 feet. Both new free entertainment features run three times daily.

The entire lineup of free entertainment is available at www.mnstatefair.org.

Free entertainment venues at the fair include: Leinie Lodge Bandshell (sponsored by Leinenkugel's), The North Woods (sponsored by Gander Mountain), The X-Zone, International Bazaar Stage (sponsored by Summit Brewing Co.), Family Fair Stage at Baldwin Park (sponsored by Green Mill Restaurant), Heritage Square Stage (sponsored by August Schell Brewing Co.), Ramberg Senior Center Stage (sponsored by Cal Spas) and The Garden Stage featuring karaoke (sponsored by Treasure Island Resort & Casino).

The 2011 Minnesota State Fair runs Thursday, Aug. 25 through Labor Day, Sept. 5.

via readme.readmedia.com

First four Chevy Court acts announced for New York State Fair

The first four of 24 Chevy Court acts were announced by the New York state Fair Tuesday.

Allstar Weekend, a rock and pop band, will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28. The band's hit songs include "Dance Forever" and a "A Different Side of Me."

The Glenn Miller Orchestra, a group that has been playing for audiences since 1938, will take the Chevy Court stage at 2 p.m., Monday, Aug. 29. The group will perform on the first of the State Fair's two Senior Days.

After the Glenn Miller Orchestra plays in the afternoon, American rock band REO Speedwagon will perform at 8 p.m., Monday, Aug. 29. REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million records, with hit songs like "Keep On Loving You" and "Can't Fight this Feeling."

Big Time Rush, a pop quartet, will perform at 8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 1. The foursome released their first album, "B.T.R." in 2010 and its latest single, "Boyfriend," peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart.

The Chevy Court concert series will feature 24 acts performing each day at 2 and 8 p.m. All shows are free with fair admission.

"These bands represent a great cross section of music that will appeal to people of all ages," Dan O'Hara, New York State Fair director, said in a news release. "We want to continue to make the Fair an affordable place where families can spend the day and part of that is ensuring that we have top-notch entertainment at Chevy Court, the best free music venue in the country."

More concerts will be announced in the near future.

The fair will run from Aug. 25 to Sept. 5.

via auburnpub.com