Carnival & Fair News

In response to the rapid evolution of the amusement industry and use of evolving technology, Magic Money, a leading provider of cashless event solutions, has undergone a significant transformation over the last eight years. The company has grown substantially, both in its leadership and staff, as well as the breadth of services it offers.

According to Zack Enright, CEO and founder of Magic Money, the company is growing in leaps and bounds, offering expanded services for over 1400 events this year, including the processing of well over $300,000,000 through their self-service kiosks. With over 25 full time carnival clients, they are often doing 20+ events a week.

Each new client provides Magic Money with unique insights and learning opportunities, which are then used to further enhance their services. Enright emphasizes the value of these experiences, stating, "Each carnival we sign is not just a business opportunity, but a chance to learn and improve. Our presence at more events than any other carnival ticketing system puts us in a prime position to understand the nuances and changes that the industry is encountering. The increased revenue also allows us to reinvest in new features and updates such as MagicInspection, our newly launched fully integrated ride inspection software."

Magic Money's commitment to constant improvement is the primary thing Brian Meade, President & COO, is most proud of. Despite the company's impressive track record, he considers himself its toughest critic. "Our system has a long list of events demonstrating reliability and client success, but we believe it can always work better," Meade emphasizes. His perspective reflects the company's ethos of not simply fixing what's broken but enhancing what's already working well. Meade adds, “From upgrades to the kiosks, to improving something as minor as how customers select their date range for reports, we can always make our products faster, easier, and more efficient".

This obsession with improvement has led to the development of fully integrated ride inspection software “MagicInspection. At no additional cost to clients, full ride inspection software is available for use on the Magic Money platform. With increasing government safety regulations nationwide, Magic Money hopes that this new software will help alleviate some of the burden that is constantly being added to the industry.



MagicInspection comprises several key features, including precise ride inspections, streamlined digital record-keeping, rigorous safety protocols, real-time manager alerts for critical issues, and mandatory operator approval before ride operations. This approach emphasizes professionalism in documentation, ensuring rides remain non-operational until inspections are meticulously inspected and approved.

The impact of MagicInspection extends beyond the software itself and is poised to have a substantial influence within the carnival and fair industry. In an industry where precision, professionalism, and innovation are paramount, this innovation aims to instill confidence in event organizers, fairgoers, and attendees.  Enright believes modernizing safety protocols helps reinforces the industry's commitment to safety while also demonstrating Magic Money's bona fides as an industry leader in tech solutions.

Magic Money is striving to be more than a ticketing system, and the industry is noticing. As Tom Kay of Helm and Sons, put it, “Magic Money offers an overall enterprise solution."  Helm and Sons Amusements recently refurbished and reopened the Playland amusement park in Fresno, Ca where Magic Money handles all ticketing as well as providing a cashless solution for games and food within the park.

Magic Money is currently being used by over 25 different carnivals including the I owa State Fair Independent Midway, Helm and Sons Amusements, California Midway Attractions, Talley Amusements, Butler Amusements, West Coast Amusements, Majestic Midways, Blue Sky Amusements, Browns Amusements, as well as many others. 

Enright acknowledges that with over 1400 successful events this year, it's impossible to list them all but that some notable events include the California State Fair, Big Fresno Fair, Bloomsburg Fair, Ohio State Fair, Santa's Enchanted Forest, Rodeo Austin, the National Orange Show, Fort Worth Stock Show, and many others. 

In Fact, Magic Money clients account for 20% of Top 50 Fairs and Carnivals (Carnival Warehouse Top 50 List 2022) where Magic Money continues to be used.

Magic Money will be exhibiting at the IAAPA Expo, November 14-17 in Orlando and welcomes interested carnivals, fairs, and amusement parks to stop by to see how their platform has evolved.