Carnival & Fair News

  Peggy Reid, a long-time concessionaire in the carnival industry, passed away on April 26, 2026. After her passing, longtime friends Melissa and Frank Zaitshik wrote the following piece in remembrance of her life and impact. Our thoughts and prayers are with Peggy's friends and family as they mourn her loss. I've put this off far too many days because as a guy that's not usually at a loss of words in this case it was difficult to find them. We lost a dear friend and member of our Wade Shows family. For over 40 Years Peggy has been our friend and one of the original team that built the company that we are today. As humans we always find nice things about those that die. Sometimes we have to look deep. It is easy and truthful to say nice things about Peggy Reid. Saturday May 2nd was a sad day for a lot of people as this was the day Peggy was buried. Family, extended family and a huge amount of people whose lives she touched gathered to celebrate Peggy's life and how she ...   [read more]

  It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Ricky Maturo, a longtime concessions owner who traveled with Great American Carnival of Madisonville, Kentucky. Ricky passed away on Friday, April 17, at the age of 75 following a lengthy illness. Ricky was a familiar face in the industry for many years, and his presence will be deeply missed by those who knew and worked alongside him. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ricky’s family and friends during this difficult time. Below is a copy of his obituary: Ricky Allen Maturo, 75, of Madisonville, KY, passed away on Friday, April 17, 2026, at Baptist Health Deaconess in Madisonville after a long illness. He was born on December 23, 1950, to the late Lillian "Lilly" Mitchell Maturo and Lawrence Maturo. Ricky was a proud United States Army Veteran. He was a lifelong carnival concessions owner. He enjoyed going to flea markets, antique stores and enjoying going out to eat a good steak. His greatest joy was spending time ...   [read more]

  Minnesota is about to give one of its most recognizable State Fair buildings a major upgrade—and expand opportunities for 4-H youth across the state at the same time. The Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota 4-H have teamed up on a $35 million effort to renovate the longtime 4-H Building on the fairgrounds and grow the statewide program. It's the biggest project either organization has taken on together. They're already more than halfway there financially, with about 60% of the goal raised so far. A big push came from a $10 million gift from Kathy and Jim Cargill, along with support from several other donors including the Ames Family, Compeer Financial, Riverview LLP, and the Rosen Family Foundation. The building itself has been around since 1939, and for generations of Minnesota kids, it's been a central part of the State Fair experience. Every year, thousands of 4-H participants come to the fairgrounds to show their projects, stay in the dorms, and take part in activities. ...   [read more]