Skywheelrider
Thursday, August 16, 2012 12:28:09 AM
Some people are never happy. This photo of the current Indiana State Fair was posted by NAME at Facebook. There are fairs that would give almost anything for a midway like this, and folks that would love to see a midway like this at their local fair.

UserPostedImage

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
Skywheelrider
Thursday, August 16, 2012 12:29:32 AM
And I certainly hope the young girl pulls through, what a horrible accident to have happen.
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
skywheel88
Thursday, August 16, 2012 1:07:48 AM
Yeah, NAME put on a GREAT midway in Edmonton this year, I couldn't say one thing bad about them!
Kenny.

Matt C.
Thursday, August 16, 2012 1:45:49 AM
Originally Posted by: Skywheelrider 

Some people are never happy. This photo of the current Indiana State Fair was posted by NAME at Facebook. There are fairs that would give almost anything for a midway like this, and folks that would love to see a midway like this at their local fair.

UserPostedImage




looks like a good looking midway to me!
Matt Cook
Matt's Carnival Warehouse / Matt's Web Design
http://www.carnivalwarehouse.com 
http://www.mwdwebdesign.com 
thunderbolt85
Thursday, August 16, 2012 8:06:13 AM
I am going to carefully step into this discussion. Although I am not traveling right now, I have been in the business both as an employee, and owner of equipment. I love the business and keep up with it every day, but I will say people do notice sometimes what happens on the midways. I have talked with people about the business I love and a lot of times they ask about certain rides and why they are not out there anymore (Sky Wheel, etc). Some I have heard say about certain fairs "its not big as it once was", or they notice when the "big" iron is showing up anymore. However, I do understand the situation with high fuel, high %'s with fairs, high costs for R&M, CDL drivers, etc. E. James Strates said one time to me "A show can't own every ride out there", and thats true, and a spot must be able to support the "big iron". To me the industry is going through a "self adjustment" right now. Seems they came out with way to many new rides back in the late 80's and 90's that got way expensive, then the bottom fell out. I mean how many ways can you make a carnival ride turn and keep it to one trailer? But things are looking up, fairs seem to be enjoying really high numbers lately, carnivals have made adjustments, and maybe fairs are understanding they can't ask for so much of the gross and expect a good midway. We are now seeing more Huss rides on the road than before ( from one Huss Flipper, to three now). Hopefully we will see shows bringing back some of the good classic rides to a new generation (Powers Sky Diver) as time goes on.
thunderbolt85
Thursday, August 16, 2012 8:26:44 AM
And one other thing while I am on it, Fairs can not survive without carnivals (not on a large scale). Fairs need to understand when they demand these high %s that is really hurting the customer because a show can't bring in more equipment, liked booked. A carnival has to make a profit, and they can't buy those big rides and fill up those midways when they have to pay so much to the fair. Or you get midways with only one music ride that is a one trailer unit. And high gate's are hurting as well, one fair in this area charges about $8 a person, while the state fair (with a midway triple in size) only charges $10? If people are going to spend that much money a lot of times they will just go to an amusement park. I understand fairs have expenses, but think of the expenses a carnival has (high rides, fuel, labor, CDL junk, inspections, insurance, taxes, etc). A lot of shows do still put on a great midway, but if we want to return to the "glory" days, there has to be a balance. I miss those big rides as much as any one, but a man can't go broke trying to move them.
JustinJames
Thursday, August 16, 2012 9:11:27 AM
Holy crap that was Bobby Ingalls driving? I've met him and am sure he is dealing with some serious grief... I hope the little girl pulls through and Bobby copes ok. Sad sad situation for everyone.
Scott
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Thursday, August 16, 2012 10:43:06 AM
Originally Posted by: Matt C. 

looks like a good looking midway to me!




Maybe by todays standards that's a good looking midway, but those of us who a little older will refer you and the to the photo in Kenny's post... NOW THAT'S A GOOD LOOKING MIDWAY, and that was 40 years ago!
Rockowheel
Thursday, August 16, 2012 12:02:00 PM
AMEN!!
Originally Posted by: Scott 

Maybe by todays standards that's a good looking midway, but those of us who a little older will refer you and the to the photo in Kenny's post... NOW THAT'S A GOOD LOOKING MIDWAY, and that was 40 years ago!


Soda Guy
Thursday, August 16, 2012 2:41:32 PM
Originally Posted by: Scott 

Maybe by todays standards that's a good looking midway, but those of us who a little older will refer you and the to the photo in Kenny's post... NOW THAT'S A GOOD LOOKING MIDWAY, and that was 40 years ago!



Scott Who would have had the contract back in 1972? That would be 40 years ago. Now I do know there would have been ALOT more games, baskets, balloons, buckets to name a few. But what rides would that show have brought in?

tiltcharles
Thursday, August 16, 2012 4:52:47 PM
Guys the problem may be that fairs have to compete many other business that were not around way back when. Over time this has led to a scale down of the rides shows are moving nowadays.

What would be interesting is to see RCS all of a sudden stop bringing in the big pieces such as the La Grande Wheel etc. What would that do to the fairs?

Scott is correct.
JustinJames
Thursday, August 16, 2012 5:55:14 PM
Todays standards may be not what ya like... but they are what they are, TODAY. The world is changing and it isn't going back to old school days. Yes we'd all love to see four Skywheels in a row and such but it isn't gonna happen. That midway is what it probably needs to be and to me it looksgreat
Scott
  •  Scott
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Thursday, August 16, 2012 7:48:03 PM
Originally Posted by: Soda Guy 

Scott Who would have had the contract back in 1972? That would be 40 years ago. Now I do know there would have been ALOT more games, baskets, balloons, buckets to name a few. But what rides would that show have brought in?



Dan I'm not understanding your question.
Scott
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Thursday, August 16, 2012 7:54:34 PM
Originally Posted by: JustinJames 

Todays standards may be not what ya like... but they are what they are, TODAY. The world is changing and it isn't going back to old school days. Yes we'd all love to see four Skywheels in a row and such but it isn't gonna happen. That midway is what it probably needs to be and to me it looksgreat




Justin; It's not about 4 sky wheels. It's about Showmanship and style. Todays owners or most of them don't have style or showmen's way of thinking.

Ray Cammack is a good example... they buy their rides from the same place everyone else buys theirs, but they have a different vision than the rest. Yeah I know they have 1 Millon plus crowds at their fair, but today if you don't do something different than your competion you wont look any different.

Conklin Shows featured European Spectaculars, Royal American had a Circus aura with a different style front gate, the light towers, the big shows, the train, the organ and unique rides.

These days the only thing that seperates show x from show z is the color of their canvas.

I saw a bumper sticker that said... "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did but in heels and backwards".... those shows I mentioned did it Ginger Rogers style.
Rockowheel
Thursday, August 16, 2012 8:43:04 PM
I guess it's just a matter of "you had to be there" and experience it first hand. There was an atmosphere to those old shows that set one apart from another. I was fortunate to experience Royal American many times and that show far outclassed all the others in that aspect. Over and over these days it seems one show is just a clone of another. No special character that sets it apart. I agree it was a different world that you can never duplicate, but I also agree that SHOWMANSHIP is really lacking these days.