Funtastic Entertainment Fabrication Division was busy during its third year exhibiting at the IISF Trade Show, showcasing a variety of products including midway junction boxes, a new generator trailer, and its lineup of “Heavy Hooker” forklift accessories.

Company owner Nicholas Brown is no stranger to the carnival industry. He has spent his entire life in the amusement business, having grown up on his family's show, Midway Rides of Utica, in Utica, New York. After his family retired from the business, Brown channeled his passion for fabrication and innovation into new opportunities. He was soon contracted to build a set of seven junction boxes for Harlan Bast's Hildebrand Rides.

“I enjoyed the project because it was something different,” Brown said. Reflecting on the experience, he added, “It was nice to know where to tweak a product to make it more user-friendly, safer, and to try to stay a step ahead.”

On display in Gibtown was a set of custom-built midway electrical boxes for McDaniel Brothers Shows of New York. Each box is designed and built to meet the specific needs of the customer. “We build each box to what the customer needs. One customer may need a 50-amp breaker instead of a 30-amp breaker, and some customers may need more mini cams than others,” Brown explained.

All of the boxes are constructed with a steel frame, hot-dip galvanized, and finished with an aluminum diamond-plate exterior. Inside, LED lighting illuminates the box, eliminating the need for a flashlight when working at night. Funtastic offers several sizes to accommodate different operations, including a stainless steel spider box option.

One of Funtastic's major projects over the past few months was building a generator trailer for Jeff Good's Goodtime Amusements of Pennsylvania. Brown built a set of 28-foot pup trailers and completely refurbished them. “Showmen Supplies has been a great friend. We bought the light tower, louvers, and light inserts from them,” Brown said. Everything else on the trailer was fabricated in-house, including the distribution panel, fuel tank with exterior fill, generator mounting, wiring, and related components. “We've got the next ready to build, and the generator trailer has gotten a lot of attention at the show,” he added.

Another product that has grown in popularity in recent years is Funtastic's line of “Heavy Hooker” hitches. These accessories allow showmen using forklifts or front-end loaders to easily move trailers around a lot or yard. Brown offers a full lineup of hitch styles to accommodate various sizes and applications. While most models are available by order, several were offered for immediate purchase at the show.

Beyond its core product lines, Funtastic specializes in custom fabrication tailored specifically to the carnival and amusement industry. The company is currently building a custom trailer trestle for a kiddie train ride, another example of its hands-on approach to solving unique operational challenges.

With decades of firsthand industry experience and a clear understanding of what showmen need on the lot, Brown continues to focus on practical innovation, durability, and safety. Whether building electrical boxes, fabricating generator trailers, or designing specialized accessories, Funtastic Entertainment Fabrication Division is positioning itself as a dependable partner for operators looking for equipment built by someone who truly understands the business from the ground up.