Carnival & Fair News

Modern Midways offers 55-plus rides and runs 2 to 3 units on the company's 90-date schedule every year. The carnival's route stretches from Miami in January to spring at such venues as the Okeechobee County Fair, Citrus County Fair, the North Georgia fair, and the Vidalia Onion Festival, moving in the summer months to the greater Chicago area, where among other venues, the company plays county fairs and local festivals.

Owner Robert Briggs added a new venue to its busy route this year, the Alabama State Fair in Birmingham. “Despite not having the kindest weather this year, we have had a growth year,” he reports. “We do so many events that every one of them adds up significantly as a beat on our pulse.”

Based in Chicago with winter quarters in Florida, Modern Midways added a custom rebuilt and rethemed Magic Circus Funhouse to its collection of rides this year, rebuilt by 5 Star Fabrications. Denny's Electronics, helmed by Dennis Bartosik, outfitted the ride with a state-of-the-art LED system complete with video screens and custom lighting.




Next year, the company will be adding a customized Kolmax Crazy Dance ride that will be featured at the Gibtown trade show in February. The ride will be themed as Nitro, Briggs says. “We are also adding a Loop Fighter from Technical Park and a Samba Balloon attraction from Rides USA.” The Loop Fighter will also be custom themed.



Briggs notes that the company offers three gondola wheels and a Sky Wheel. Among the gondola wheels are a Giant Wheel by Fabbri, a Chance Century Wheel, and a Wadkins Expo Wheel. All four are moved from event to event.



Along with the rides, the company owns its own game and food concessions. Added at the end of the 2025 season is a two-story water race from Denny's Electronics. “It's performed three times better for us than what I had expected,” Briggs attests, an especially strong feat given that “games in general are struggling this year with the price of stock rising due to tariffs.”



The company is focusing overall on providing “an extremely encompassing, total experience to for our guests. That's what people are after, so that is what we always try to do, from games to rides,” Briggs explains.

Food concessions also play a role in the overall carnival experience, with Modern Midways sticking to fair classics such as cotton candy, corn dogs, pizza, and funnel cakes. According to Briggs, the funnel cakes are the most popular. “They are hard to beat on any midway,” Briggs says.

Describing the carnival, Briggs stresses that the company is focused on establishing a good working relationship with its sponsors. “We are always on site, and we have a good team that focuses on every detail. My family works for the show and are all experienced and personally involved. We take pride in everything we do,” he says.

The company uses online sales from Innovative Ticketing for all its online ticket sales and provides professional marketing for every event by both promotions expert George Herrera and Carnival Warehouse's own Matt Cook, and Toni Freeborn. Additionally, the carnival promotes extensively on social media such as Facebook.

According to Giles Malone, chairman of Florida's Space Coast Fair, Modern Midways has provided a commitment to ride quality and quantity that the fair had not previously experienced. “With 45 of their rides at our fair this year, Modern Midways put up a lot of attractions. We have had record numbers of attendance working with the company,” Malone says. “Our customers perceive the value in purchasing a $25 unlimited ride arm band and being able to ride so many different attractions. It's a great value in these economic times.”



Modern Midways is committed to the growth of the fairs and events it plays. “If we take over a carnival midway location, we have a strong track record for increasing the midway's size and success,” Briggs relates.

Malone adds “In the past three years working with Modern Midways, our numbers have been higher than ever. We have a large fairground to fill, and Robert fills it up, and provides a first-class team along with new rides.”

He considers the company's Giant Wheel among the most popular rides for the fair, but the overall look of the midway itself is the biggest draw of all. “Coming to the fairgrounds from a distance you can see the four wheels and take in the color changing sequences of the LED lights on them from far away. It's beautiful.”

Mark Lovell, co-director of the Alabama State Fair, Modern Midways newest route addition, agrees with Malone. “The company does a great job. They under-promise and overdeliver. They've brought in a good-looking show with lots of amenities,” he says.

And Linda Syfrett of the Okeechobee County Fair adds that “He is very good to work with. Our midway has expanded greatly because of Modern Midways, our ride gross is the most it has ever been.” She describes the Hyper Loop and Zipper as the most popular rides. “Robert has invested considerable money in the Zipper, and it looks brand new. But everyone loves the Hyper Loop, there are always huge lines, because they like the scare and thrill of it.”