Park Capacity

Timber-Rider said:

....many other rides I probably left out.

I seriously doubt that.

I don't need to go back and read your post again. My reading is just fine, and your comments are purely anecdotal anyway, as usual.

The figures I quoted are accurate and I maintain your Michigan fairs never quite pulled the numbers you claim. Ionia Free Fair is/was the largest in your state, ok, but the fact that you had big name entertainment is nothing unusual for the fair circuit, in fact it's quite common. Ohio, which draws bigger numbers than any fair in Michigan, has had a name act every night since the 1960's and many of the shows continue to be free for fair goers. Remember this show biz tidbit- concerts don't go to fairs, fairs book concerts. And only if they have the money to do so. If numbers at Ionia dwindled, money was scarcer and your shows went to every other night or b list acts. The fair business in general is an expensive proposition and fair boards across the country are looking for ways to cut corners. Even the biggest fairs don't run big name entertainment every night any more. This year Florida had Leeann Rimes on the last night, and that was it.

And why you need to bring up midway attractions from the 70's and 80's to prove relevancy is I dunno. But I can play. In the 60's and 70's we had Gooding's Amusements here in Columbus and they had a SkyDiver, a Cobra (or two), and a Galaxie that not only played the fairs around the state but every shopping center parking lot in town as well. They also had a Turbo, a Toboggan, a Rotor, a Trabant, a Bayern Kurve, a Flying Bobs, a Flying Coaster, and lots of others that showed up too. Yes, those were the days. So what? Attendance was better back then on account of it? Not so sure.

I believe the theory that the reason today's midways suck and yesteryear's seemed so busy is strictly economic.

Columbus Day is "Just another day" for most People in the US (As are MLK Day, President's Day and Veteran's Day). Apparently The Philadelphia and New York City areas do give kids the day off on Columbus Day, which I found out (The Hard Way) when I visited SFGA in 2006. It was the only park open that day. Clemington, Dorney, Dutch Wonderland, Hersheypark and Knoebal's were all closed.