Carnival & Fair News

Gibsonton -- The IISF "Super Trade Show and Extravaganza" is quickly approaching February 6 - 10. As we get closer, manufacturers and suppliers are beginning to commit to the new and interesting products they will be bringing to Gibtown this year. MCW is going to be profiling a few of things that are new and different for the 2007 trade show over the coming weeks. The first installment in this series profiles the Fabbri Group who will be bringing an exciting new addition to the carnival market to the trade show, the "Family Swing". Standing 40 feet tall and holding 32 passengers, the Family Swing is "a reconfigured, more affordable version of the Wave Swinger", said Jeff Miller of the Fabbri Group. "We took a popular, traditional carnival and park staple that was out of the price range of many mid-sized carnivals and made it affordable without sacrificing quality", he added. The Family Swing is beautifully decorated with hand-painted artwork depicting scenes with American landmarks. Niagra Falls, the Grand Canyon and a lighthouse are just some of artwork on the ride. Coupled with a dazzling light package, the Family Swing is destined to be the most attractive piece on any carnival midway. One of the great advantages of the ride is that it can travel on only one trailer. Some of the panels fold under the umbrella for easier set-up and tear down and the ride has a folding platform. The estimated set-up time for the ride for 4 men is 5 hours. There are several safety innovations added in the design of the ride. The Family Swing uses hydraulic cylinders to raise the umbrella instead of cables. The ride actually has two sets of hydraulics, one for raising the umbrella and a second set for operation. The first Family Swing was delivered to Butler Amusements last year and the ride has been a great success. The second ride will be delivered to Tim Casper's PBJ Happee Days Shows of Marion, AR. A third ride has been sold to an as of yet undisclosed buyer. Miller said the ride has "generated lots of interest" because of the affordability and ease of setup and teardown. Several options are available for the ride. Some of the most popular are double seats, an operator control booth, a choice of stainless or aluminum fence and other artwork choices for the panels. Priced in the mid $400,000s, the Family Swing should be a popular new addition to the Trade Show lineup. In addition to the Family Swing, Fabbri Group has also introduced several additional new pieces to market. One of the most popular is the "Chopper Hopper" a children's piece that can also ride adults. The first Chopper Hopper was delivered to Butler Amusements last year. Fabbri will have specifications and information about the Chopper Hopper at the Trade Show. Miller was very excited about the introduction in 2007 of a new launch coaster for the carnival market. The coaster will be using an all-new technology for the launch of the vehicle instead of the traditional electro-magnet or bull wheel. Projected to travel on 10-12 trailers, the ride will be built to European safety standards. "This piece will only be for a handful of operators in the market, but its impact at a fair or event will be incredible", said Miller. Look for the Fabbri booth and the Family Swing outside at the Trade Show Feb 6 -10, 2007.