Entertaining Carnival Reading

I'm always fascinated by how the GP sees rides and parks and such. Any article written by an non-enthusiast is a must read as far as I'm concerned.

Take that article and add a good dose of humor and I'm sold.

X-Entertainment is one of those "oddball/pop culture/nostaligia" style sites run by a guy named Matt. I was briefly acquainted with Matt about 5 years ago when we both wrote for the same pro wrestling site (yeah, I know, don't say it)

Anyway, X-Entertainment has an great story up about visiting the local carnival (article from June 14th). It's gives the perspective of a GP'er visiting the local carnival. I also helps that I personally find Matt to be one of the funniest guys in the world - at least in writing, never met him personally.

Good for a time blower/laugh on a slow Sunday afternoon.

(article does contain 'adult' language and humor, so stay away if that's a problem)

The carnival was by Reithoffer Shows, if that makes it any more interesting to you.

The Scooby Doo knockoff in the Bling Bling shirt just says it all...

LMFAO!

Thanks for posting that, Gonch. That has to be one of the most hilarious things I have read in a long time!!

It pretty much hits the nail on the head too, as far as carnivals. I usually stay away from them, but I am thinking I should go more often just for laughs. The smaller the town the more *scarier* the carni's usually are.

Reading about this one in Staten Island is quite frightening, but worth a few laughs. :-D

Hmm, I thought the goldfish thing was banned nowadays.

-Tina

*** Edited 7/11/2004 10:41:41 PM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

Tina, you really need to try and go with me to the State Fair this year, it really is a fun time at the WV State fair(more mullets than you could ever imagine. Acutally, its not that bad, and they do have some good rides, as well as the only Schwarzy coaster I've been on...

It's that time of the year when the Carnies come out. There was a carnival just a few blocks from my house last week. I think we went three nights, including the final night that featured a huge fireworks display. The rides were way more intense than their amusement park cousins. I thought I was going to crack a rib on the scrambler.

Comparing inflatable Spidey to Kurt Hennig? That's too damn funny! Thanks for the link!

That is a good story Lord G. Since I am here in good ole central PA I can really relate to this story. Reithoffer Shows, Inc. comes to York, PA every year for the great "York Interstate Fair!" ;)

I have many fond memories of the York Fair growing up, but in the past 10 years it has really gone downhill. For being a carnival operator they have a pretty decent collection of rides. I just don't enjoy riding flat rides that are on wood blocks anymore.

The best thing that I bought at the York Fair was a bootleg Tool concert video back around 1994 before they were a commercial band, and I was the only one in my area that knew about them. Ahh! The days.

I'm just curious as to which group comes to WV, and which rides they have. I hope their new drop tower and Top Scan come to the midway this year. They usually have a pretty good number of rides, and never seem to have any problems in WV...:)

Now if only they'd get another traveling coaster along with the one they've had for 20+ years.

I don't know Clint, I thought you had to have at least one tooth missing to attend this. ;-)

I dunno, the Grand Ole Opry Road Show or the sheep-sheering contests looks like more fan than I can handle. lol.

-Tina

*** Edited 7/12/2004 10:26:15 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

Good story and pics, but the part about the world's smallest woman just makes you feel bad about carnivals, doesnt it?

"My argument was that he had enough rubber ducks, only I didn't voice this argument aloud because I'd feel silly saying "you have enough rubber ducks."

ROFL...I love this guy's writing style.

I just visited a Reithoffer show this April, but it was definitely not the particular unit featured in this article. There were no sideshows, just a few rides and games. But his descriptions fit perfectly, nonetheless.

TeknoScorpion, it all depends upon where you are and what time of year it is. I got my start in this business pulling down rides for the old Gooding Amusement Co. after playing the Preston Co. Buckwheat Festival in Kingwood, West (By God!) Virginia some thirty two years ago. There are about five or six shows that regularly play the Mountain State, my routing schedule is buried someplace. Most of the shows I would classify as medium size. *** Edited 7/12/2004 6:59:37 PM UTC by Dutchman***

Yes, definitly medium size. So you worked on the fair in Kingwood? I have friends there, I don't think the Buckwheat festival is as big as it used to be, but still big for WV.

I love the fair. Food, Fun, and tons o' mullets! There is a county fair here this week, but I probably won't get to go...

Ah yes, the Preston County Buckwheat Festival! it was the either the last weekend in Oct., or the first in Nov. We had marched there that morning (we being the WVU Mountaineer Marching Band). It was drizziling most of the day. We loaded back on the buses after having our fill of griddle cakes. Me and a buddy drove back to Kingwood from Morganhole and hired on for the last night. The drizzle turned to snow. It was an experience that left a lasting impression on me. I liked the equipment, but I could see that setting up and tearing down would get real old real fast.It was off to CP after that, and the rest is history.

"I went to a family reunion once. I looked around , and figured that someplace there was a carnival running by itself."

You will never know it until you work a season or two with-it.

If I had my family would have disowned me. The Point was more respectable.

WVU Band, huh? Thats cool. I just moved back home from farimont, I actually liked Morgantown(esp. the clubs). I personally like carnivals, but don't get to go nearly often enough. Course when I do go, I'm sick the entire time from the greasy food and the spin and spew rides set on Berserker mode...

Morgantown and WVU were very different when I was there. Most of the campus was downtown, the Towers were fairly new, as was the Creative Arts Center and Med School. We had to endure commuting between Evansdale and downtown on a fleet of overworked school buses (the PRT was pile of prefab concrete beams).I didn't do the club scene. If you were in music ed you lived at the CAC, although we did do our share of "cheesin and greasin." Nothing like making the last call for a milkshake at Chico's.

I slaughed the Gooding units when they came into the area. The Star City Vol.Fire Dept carnival in the spring was always a given in additon to doing the Buckwheat Festival in the fall.The unit managers got to know me,so I always got hired for tear down on Saturday night.

So are you from WV or did you just go to College here? WVU is so big now, its actually very nice(all of Morgantown is the campus now, though. And yes, I think High Street where all the clubs are is just as much a part of the campus;)) and the PRT is wonderful, esp. on game days. Me and my friend/roommate both found a secret parking lot to use on game days, right near a PRT stop so we barely did any walking...:)

I always wondered why there were no parks around that area, till I lived there and realized how close Kennywood is. And when Kennywood is that close, what other parks do you need...

Speaking of fairs and carnivals, the Arts and Crafts Fair in Ripley is always fun to check out. I don't remember there being any rides but the "sampling" of the local foods makes up for it, especially if you like spicy stuff. :-) The Gyros are to die for and plenty of strange exhibits to check out.

-Tina

*** Edited 7/13/2004 11:05:41 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***