thunderbolt85
Thursday, July 9, 2020 7:45:13 AM
Not good days at all right now with very little carnivals out and about, thought you all might like to discuss happier times.

For me loved the spring and summer when small shows would start popping up around the couple of towns near here. One ride that I would see that would signal a show in town was the Scat, saw that sitting a parking lot of shopping center many a time of course with a Ferris Wheel as well, but the Scat was catching my eye.

We used to have at least several different shows show up during the spring/summer months in parking lots/fields. Usually only about 10 or 12 rides, but some small shows, and concessions.

Usual line up might be a Wheel, Rock O Plane, Scrambler, Scat, Tempest, Spider, Bumper Cars and good round of kiddies.

But that was always the appetizer to the fall when Deggeller Magic Midway would show up for the Upper SC State Fair.
Astro85
Thursday, July 9, 2020 9:09:32 AM
Yeah I would go check the carnival out when it came in. I loved seeing everything racked and staged. Very cool. It was exciting, especially before the days of the internet, video games and such. Listening to the music crank on the midway. I always hated Sunday, I knew that was it for a year. But I did like seeing the pre tear down and the trucks shifted, ready for tear down. Happy times!!
Astro85
Thursday, July 9, 2020 9:10:30 AM
The 70’s and 80’s were an awesome time for carnivals, in my opinion.
Carnivalbuff
Friday, July 10, 2020 5:09:04 PM
Yes, someone told me that RC Cole just had his Scat redone.
indianacarnie
Monday, July 13, 2020 2:02:10 PM
Spring still dates for me always meant mud. Then more mud and after that..... mud. I always preferred late summer, getting ready for the big jumps heading south. Chasing summer as it were but then lol, about the middle of October on say, mud lol. That red mud of south Georgia was permanent too. Then........ crossing that state line hitting Florida for winter quarters. Man what a feeling. From mid May on was always too busy to really pay much attention to anything but work. Set up, work, tear down, drive, set up .... repeat ad infinitum.

Hoarding the Spring and Summer specials of AB for the routes. The first Italian sausage of the year. The first icebreaker of the season and the last dollar of the last spot. Harlans crappy thrift store stock if you wanted to work all winter lol. Seeing other shows on the interstate jumping as you were.
An end, even with terror, is better than terror without end. F.Neitzsche
IndianaTED
Monday, July 13, 2020 5:29:52 PM
Originally Posted by: Astro85 

The 70’s and 80’s were an awesome time for carnivals, in my opinion.



I've always called the the "Golden Age" of carnivals. Glad you agree Astro!

Just more Shows back then, and each Show had more rides back then, or it seemed to me anyway. And even the good mid-sized Shows had two trailer rides then.



I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.
Astro85
Monday, July 13, 2020 7:00:16 PM
Golden Age is right. Carnivals had so much personality then. I remember this one guy working the tilt. He would give the tubs a shove when they came around. Very energetic. He seemed to be having fun. That was my impression of a carnival. He had a line going too. He worked for Astro I blv.
swooper
Friday, July 17, 2020 5:45:15 PM
Back then the trucks were all painted with either the fairs played
Or just nice company logos
Each show had its own painter
And carpenter
swooper
Friday, July 17, 2020 5:45:21 PM
Back then the trucks were all painted with either the fairs played
Or just nice company logos
Each show had its own painter
And carpenter
IndianaTED
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 11:00:18 AM
Of course when I think of my best childhood memories, I think of Johnny's United Shows coming to town for the 4th of July.

Just seeing their bright red trucks all having the JUS shield logo on the doors, with all the typical majors of the day and a sprinkle of two trailer rides. Also seeing their office trailer under the tent, and next to it was the cookhouse. Seeing the old traditional layout of a horseshoe with joints lining the sides and all the rides in the middle until to reached the back end, where the "cannibal" ride was back in the late 60s. Also remember seeing the "old style" derby games, glass pitches, draglines with decks of cards with "dirty" pictures on them...LOL. Just so many things about carnivals of those years that burned memories into my mind.
I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.
ridejocky
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 12:41:59 PM
dope ruined the industry
Ride the Zipper?