By Bobby Forand
Summers are made for carnivals. There’s a special feeling in the air, where even seeing one from a distance on the highway is uplifting. The skyline of rides and laughter in the air makes everything feel more fun. The anticipation builds in the parking and it’s hard not to smile once someone gives you a ticket or stamps your hand. That first step inside can be overwhelming, but in a good way, as you plan out what to tackle first.
Life feels simple at the carnival. All activities are based around enjoying yourself and leaving woes in the parked car. Activity options are plentiful and all are winners. The rides are regularly used by the kids, though they are all ages. A Ferris wheel on a beautiful night is something everyone should do at least once. The spinning rides make me sick, so I keep my distance; the giant fun slide has always been my favorite and I make sure to check out the Haunted Mansion.
I used to love the games as a kid, but I don’t play all that much in my later years. It’s challenging to throw money at games that are most likely rigged, and I don’t have much use for a low-end itchy stuffed animal. The water gun pop, the balloon race, and horse racing game are must-plays because you’re competing against other people and there is guaranteed to be a winner. I was always pretty good at the balloon pop game, even though the sound of the pop made my adolescent self jump. The carnivals with an arcade, especially with an air hockey table, held an extra special place in my heart.
The food trucks and booths consist of comfort food and desserts. Everything always looks and smells amazing. Cotton candy and a slush are my usual go-tos, though I always regret not buying a doughboy. If I were to get a meal, I’d order a steak sandwich and fries. I don’t usually stray from my choices, even though I spend a long time looking at menus before making my decision.
The people-watching is probably everyone’s unspoken favorite part of a carnival. There’s groups of teenagers acting obnoxious and being cool, couples holding hands while making conversation, and annoyed parents wishing they had left their kids at home so they too could act obnoxious and hold hands. Clever conversations are continuously within earshot, and there’s always someone doing something because they think no one is looking.
While carnivals are fun and games to the consumers, workers have a brutal weekend ahead of them. All of the highlights mentioned above are because a team of people are working diligently to produce a memorable experience. Like every job, there are some workers who don’t care and go through the motions, but even the bare minimum requires time and dedication.
Set-up starts days before the lights officially go on. There is cleaning and clearing and the planning of where everything is going to go. Every inch of the property needs to be examined to make sure there is room for people to comfortably navigate their way around the oh-so-many activities.
The next step is to assemble. Big rigs full of equipment are unloaded while the construction crews get to work. I struggle doing simple projects around the house and could never imagine the amount of effort that goes into putting together a Tilt-a-Whirl, Top Gun, or even the bumper cars. There is always a chance that the rides can break down at any time, so staff must always remain on high alert with tools close by.
Once the doors are open, workers need to be ready for everything. People add an unpredictable element that can ruin a night in an instant. It’s a nonstop barrage of fulfilling needs with little time to breathe. The lines, especially for food, are constant and impatient. Some people thrive in this pressure, while others yearn for their shift to end.
After a few days of sweating, standing, and surviving, it’s time to clean up and break everything down. Just imagining the amount of garbage covering the ground is overwhelming. The pros have turned this into a science, but challenges still arise and manual labor is exhausting, especially if it’s a hot day. The amazing thing is that no one would even know a carnival had been there because of how pristine the grounds are left once it’s over.
Consider everything that goes into making a carnival a magical experience for the hundreds or thousands of attendees. It’s a sprint that can feel like a marathon through a sea of demanding people. Keep that in mind this summer while showing off at the High Striker, ordering a sausage and pepper sandwich, or riding the carousel.
