Throughout our country, in most areas, you will be able to find a carnival, fair, or amusement park. Depending on where you live will determine what you have available and what time of the year they are available. Many churches and schools have carnivals as fundraisers. Counties throughout the country have fairs, even states have fairs. You can also find amusement parks ranging from tiny to massive. What makes these destinations so popular? There are plenty of rides, games, food options, and entertainment. Any child that sees the lights and hears the sounds of the event will be hooked immediately. I would imagine many adults have stirring memories of events like this from your youth.
Some people attend carnivals and fairs just for the selection of food options. You can always find the tried and true options like pizza, hot dogs, and corn dogs. I would like to think that if you are at a fair you should be a little more adventurous. Have you ever had fried cheese curds? They are delicious! How about fried pickles or fried vegetables? For the most part, you can not go wrong when frying foods. I would imagine you have heard of deep fried Twinkies or Oreos? Those are the exciting foods that I recommend getting while at a fair. Instead of getting a hot dog, get a giant turkey leg or some sort of exotic food like deep fried alligator! If you are at a small carnival and the food options are not exotic, you can always settle for cotton candy, funnel cakes, and ears of corn. One thing is certain, no matter what food is being made it will smell great!
Another reason to attend is for the rides. I would think most adults have some great memories of their youth being on a Tilt-A-Whirl or something similar. How about the rides like the Himalaya? They were great if you had a girlfriend with you on the ride. It was inevitable that you would smash each other. Other great rides were the Gravitron, Bumper Cars, the Pirate Ship, and even something as simple as a Carousel. Kids are drawn to a carousel at night. The lights are enticing!
Games and other live entertainment are another reason to come to a carnival or fair. Seeing a favorite music act or watching a demolition derby would be a great highlight for many. You can also see events like tractor pulls, rodeo events, or even smaller entertainment like magicians. How about the games at these events? You can have games of chance, games of skill, and rigged games. Although, I would think the rigged games do not exist as often anymore. I can remember trying to make a free throw into a hoop that seemed much smaller or trying to guess the speed of your pitch. How about throwing darts, the milk jug game, or the ring toss? All of these games are staples at these events and certainly bring plenty of memories.
Regardless of the reason you attend, it is pretty certain that kids will have a blast. I would think even the adults can let loose a little and enjoy themselves. At the end of the day you are eating food that is out of normal for you, playing games, riding rides, and watching entertainment. Even if you are the type of person that cant stand this stuff, be honest with yourself and realize that if you take a child they will have fun. Making memories with family and friends has to take precedent!
—Victor Mandalawi