Travelling Amusement Parks

Amusement Parks That Move From Town to Town

Excitement builds as you watch them set up various carts and mobile kitchens at the fairgrounds or the shopping mall parking lot.

All of the usual suspects are there: the Octopus ride, the Ferris wheel, the games of chance, and the hot dog and cotton candy concession stands. If you’re really lucky, there is a psychic booth to add mystery and some sort of show to add music or other talented entertainment to your visit.

What’s your favorite part about these traveling shows? I have some excellent memories of wandering these parks by myself when I was quite young, usually eating something like a snow cone. When I was 8 yearss old, my family secured a table in a showroom, giving out free samples to the visitors right near the guy demonstrating the Ginsu knives and the man with the ‘amazing’ juicer.

Every day for the 3 weeks we were there, my mom would give me a few dollars to buy lunch and I would very carefully make my decision as I wandered around the amusement park. Then I would sit down to enjoy my treat as I watched the crowds and the rides. I think I usually got a mini pizza from a concession that was inside a building (the adult me is very disappointed in this choice when there were so many more interesting options available!); although, often I’m sure I just spent all of my money on an unsupervised lunch of mini donuts.

Good memories and good times – and my how times have changed! I would never let my daughters run around by themselves at an amusement park that young, which is sad because I clearly recall how I relished my solo adventures. Even then I recognized that I was experiencing something special- I also remember scoffing when one of my classmates walked by our table and he was holding his mother’s hand. ‘What a baby!’ (Again the grown up me is disappointed with the mini me – you snob!).

Carnival Operators

Here is a list of traveling amusement parks, also known as Carnival Operators, if you would like to find one near you:

North American Midway

Calendar of Events

According to Go Big or Go Home, North American Midway is world’s largest traveling Amusement Park

Butler Amusements

Events

Other Amusement Parks

These other carnival operators did not have any events info listed yet (too early in the season?) but I’ve incuded the links for future vistors.

Amusements of America: Events (note: there are none listed at this time)

Newton Shows: Calendar

I noticed one setting up in a parking lot the other day and it’s the perfect way to enjoy a sunny day! Let me know if I’ve missed any directories and I will add them to the list.

Related articles

• Amusement parks on the rebound (elkrapidslive.wordpress.com)
• Thrill is back, so are crowds at amusement parks (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Food Trailers (customconcessions.com)
• Top 10 Places to Visit on a Budget in 2011 (makethelist.net)