Last 10 Posts (In reverse order)
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Originally posted by Tornado

Hey Chris H.,

I must have missed something... Wood got a NEW ReMix to replace the one they just sold?


Yes, he has one on the way, should arrive sometime in the early Spring of 2004. [:)]
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
Hey Chris H.,

I must have missed something... Wood got a NEW ReMix to replace the one they just sold?
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Originally posted by the_rock401
SO I guess this now will allow Chris and Justin to come out to Minnesota during the fair, eh?...

Your Minnesota MCW Correspondent
Paul

Good call, something definitely to think about. One thing Justin and I were talking about yesterday was this--with the Michigan State Fair ending now before Minnesota starts, think we can get a couple of those nice spectaculars here? Like the Magnum, Wood's new Re-Mix, etc.? Just a thought, but wow, that would be cool. [;)]
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
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One reason for the switch is said to be the fact that most schools in Michigan start at least the week before Labour Day, and a few in 2003 (the district my parents teach and Principal in among them) started school the Thursday before that, a full 11 days before Labour Day.

I thought that when Labor Day was late, Minnesota started early, but ye gads! Minnesota state law mandates that school cannot start before September 1. In years where Labor Day is the 6th or 7th of September, most districts will have 3 or 4 days before Labor Day weekend.

It should be interting to see how it affects the MSF attendance, with 3 days of overlap with school. I know where I'm at at the fair, missing school doesn't bother anyone, as they come down to show livestock, school or not. However, I don't remember how it affected attendance (the last time this happened was 97-98).

SO I guess this now will allow Chris and Justin to come out to Minnesota during the fair, eh?...

Your Minnesota MCW Correspondent
Paul
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you have to take a rain check.

DON'T FEED THE TROLL
Bryan is right, and his post made me think of another reason for the Michigan State Fair to change dates: three major festival also going on in the area on Labour Day Weekend. First, the Hamtramk Labour Fest (was the Polish Festival), which is not far from the fairgrounds, and draws thousands of people; the Michigan State Peach Festival in Romeo, about twenty-twenty five miles north of the fairgrounds, again, draws thousands, and the big one, straight up Woodward Avenue from the State Fair, is "Arts, Beats, and Eats" in downtown Pontiac, and they estimate draws hundreds of thousands (I heard the million figure tossed around this past Labour Day weekend) of people over the four day weekend. It is HUGE. Lots of food, live entertainment, arts and crafts, and a carnival, and the festival is only a few years old.

McDonagh's Amusements plays Hamtramk, Mid America Shows plays Romeo, and Playworld Amusements plays Pontiac.

So that right there is a major factor in the date change too, I would think, even if the state fair will not admit it outright. [;)]

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
Why fairs change dates? I think I can address this having been on the fair board for a few years now.

1.What do you do if another nearby fair changes their date to run the same week as you? Especially if they are a bigger fair...and draw more people....get more exhibitors...have a bigger show...
Labour Day really has nothing to do with the Michigan State Fair changing dates, shoot, they have ended the fair on Labour Day for decades, back to when my parents were children and would go, it was tradition. The real reason I think is the fact school starts so much earlier in Michigan each year it seems. First it was the Thursday before Labour Day, then Wednesday, then Tuesday, then Monday, now even earlier than that in some districts (my parents' included (my Dad is an Elementary School Principal and my Mom a 1st Grade teacher, both in the Wayne-Westland Community School District, which is just west of Detroit). The original plan for the state fair that was announced a couple months ago was for the 2004 fair to run the same dates as this year, but during the week not open until 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. You see the fair is located right on the border with Detroit/Ferndale, or Wayne/Oakland County, and Detroit residents account for a big percentage of the attendance, and school started their about 10 days before Labour Day this year, and that hurts the fair. So, by changing the dates to end a couple weeks before Labour Day, they will avoid that, and attendance, I would think, should go up. People will still go on vacation during fair time, no matter when it is held. But a change in dates should help overall. I am just curious mostly to see what Wade Shows does and/or thinks about it, and what other fairs they play during that time will do. [:)]
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
Hoffa brought up some very good points about date changes.

The only reason i didnt like the change was the fact i have alot of carnivals all running in april and may and none in Sept.

I had Henry T Cole Shows here out at Granite Run Mall in Media in Sept of 2002 and then he played that spot way early this year in May.

Also had a nice Church fair in Sept but they done away with it for awhile.

I just miss my Sept Fairs, gives me something to do before being pend in work and at home during the winter months.

So Skywheelrider maybe thats why michigan state Fair changed their dates

Maybe they are trying to get away from Labor Day Weekend since people do go away around that time for a little bit?
Hmmm... Very Interesting Watson.[;)]

Maybe I WILL drive weekends for Wade... Hmmm[8)]
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Originally posted by rdcolles

Normally, does a contract, such as the Michigan State Fair contract, include the specific dates? If so, what does Michigan changing the dates do to the contract? Is Wade contractually obligated to provide the midway even though the dates were changed? Does a contract normally include a provision that the fair has the right to change the dates?

To be totally honest Robin, I am not 100% sure what Wade's contract for the Michigan State Fair calls for, other than a specific number of rides. My educated guess is that the fair dates are NOT covered, and the fair can change them at any time. 2003 is a good example--Wade was told about two months before the State Fair that the fair was adding a third weekend, and that forced Wade to scramble, as per the contract they have to have rides there. At that time they also were playing the fair in Escanaba and the fair in Midland and the fair in Berrien Springs, and what happened was the rides not being used that weekend were put up in Detroit (Zyklon, Scooter 2700, Bumper Boats, Hitin' 2000, Rainbow, Grand Carousel, etc.), along with a few rides booked in by Doug Clark (Tilt-A-Whirl, Mangels Fire Engines, Kiddie Bumper Boats, Molina Coaster, etc.). They had nothing in kiddieland and nothing past the western side of the midway until they moved in rides from the other three spots the Monday after the fair opened. It was very chaotic, trying to spot rides and get them set up with the fair open, and I know that Wade was NOT pleased with that arrangement. I wish I could see into the future right now to see what is going to happen, but I guess we just wait and see. [;)]
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain