Kopcha was one of the bigger operations in western Pennsylvania in the 70's. he got the big E in Massachusetts for 5 years starting in 1974. The fair tried to get Conklin who wasn't available and Kopcha was kind of the dark horse in the bidding. Heard the first thing he did when he got the contract was go out and buy a used Sky Wheel and Sky Diver. I know in 1974 he booked in Ketch Shows from western NY at the Big E. Kopcha booked a unit into Syracuse, NY [NYSF] with Strates in 1976 on his way east. In '77 Kopcha got the Essex Jct, VT fair. In '78 he provided half the midway for Strates at Hamburg, NY because that spot overlapped Syracuse for that one year. Kopcha also provided most of the rides for Strates at Clearfield, PA in '78, Strates last year there.
In the mid 70's Kopcha had a Chance Turbo but by '76 he had a Radar. Don't know if he converted the Turbo or traded it for the Radar. He had a ground mount Mack Musik Express by '74 and bought a new Flying Bobs around '77. Kopcha had the fastest Paratrooper I've ever seen. At Syracuse in 1976 the seats went partly upside down at the top. Kopcha had two units in Pennsylvania through a good portion of the late 70's. Somehow I always managed to see the unit with the Diver and only saw the SkyWheel once when it played Syracuse.
When the Big E contract was up for renewal in 1978 Kopcha bought a Huss Enterprise. I made a special trip to Erie, PA in July 1978 to see the ride, not knowing it would play Dunkirk, NY, Clearfield and Hamburg, NY later that summer. Conklin got the Big E contract starting in 1979.
Kopcha played Allentown, PA in '80 or '81 for one year but the ride gross was reportedly low.
His show disappeared a few years later. He sold the Enterprise and a generator to Strates in 1982.
CARNIVAL magazine reported that Kopcha retired in 1986 and died in 2010.
Edited by user
Friday, July 18, 2014 11:08:22 PM
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