Carnival & Fair News

Harry Mason, owner of Midway of Fun and Silver State Amusements carnival companies, has a unique perspective on the trials and tribulations of the 2022 season in the outdoor amusement business. Operating two shows in two very different regions of the United States, Mason deals with different challenges but his goal remains the same for both companies: to create a great experience for guests.

“Overall, 2022 was a good year. Our revenues kept fairly close to 2021 which was a remarkable year,” says Mason. Despite increased revenue, Mason reports that his net is not as strong as it should be due to rising costs. “By July 27th, we had blown through our fuel budget for the year. By the latter part of August we had blown through our payroll budget,” says Mason. “I'm not complaining but our margins have definitely gotten smaller. We're seeing about a 25% increase in food costs and about a 35% increase on game merchandise when you include freight.”



Spending and pricing is markedly different for Midway of Fun and Silver State Amusements. Working in different regions of the U.S. means navigating different payroll, food, and fuel costs which in turn affects pricing on the midway. “You have to know your markets,” says Mason. “I can't charge for a wristband in Idaho what I can in the Bay Area of California.”

Accompanying increasing costs is a serious labor shortage that everyone in the industry has felt one way or another. Mason urges his colleagues to get invested in the work to help the H2B program that the OABA and other organizations are leading. “I'm expecting the labor shortage to go on for another 10 years until we have
a new generation coming up that's able to work.



Generation Z is considerably smaller than the generation it's replacing in the working world and I think that's the main reason for the lack of employees,” says Mason.
While all the economic stresses can be overwhelming, Mason is confident that things will even out eventually. “We can't cheap out on things, we just have to prepare. Things are going to cost more for a while but our economy is going to expand. It's going to rain cash again at some point,” he says. 

Between the two shows, Mason has about 50 rides in his arsenal. He's added around 20 rides since 2019. For Silver State Amusements, Mason has added a Sizzler, a Rockin' Tug, an ARM Ali Baba, a Skydiver, a Jumping Jumbo elephant ride, a Zamperla speedway and a new carousel. A brand new Spider ride is joining the Midway of Fun family of rides. “Having the two companies works out well for us. We can trade rides between the two to keep things fresh for fairgoers,” says Mason.



In addition to new equipment, Mason also has exciting event news for both companies. Silver State Amusements has added the Orofino Lumberjack Days in Idaho and the Nez Perce County Fair in Lewiston, Idaho. “We also added the Orem Summerfest in Utah in June and we absolutely blew that out of the water,” says Mason. Midway of Fun will finally be returning to the Santa Clara County Fair in 2023 after a three year absence. “The Santa Clara County Fair will run for 10 days in 2023 at the end of July and the first week of August. I think it's going to be great,” says Mason.

The biggest piece of news Mason shared is that Silver State Amusements just signed a five year deal with the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo in Casper. “This is a big event and we're really excited to be a part of it,” says Mason. At the time of this interview, Mason was attending the Rocky Mountain Association of Fairs Convention in Utah to network with fairs in the area and spread the word about Silver State Amusements.

Thinking ahead, Mason is focused on capturing the fairgoer market with attention to detail and creating an unforgettable experience.

“We're seeing a lot of millennials now. They're the ones who have families and are spending the money. Millennials don't mind spending money as long as the experience is right. Little details matter; we want families to go home and talk about how much fun they had,” says Mason.


While many in the outdoor amusement business worry about the shifting economy and changes in the industry, Mason feels confident about the future. “Our industry will be fine. You can't ‘meta' the fair or carnival experience. There's nothing to mimic that feeling of going in person and we need to focus on that,” he says.