Carnivals are as American as funnel cake and corn dogs and who, in the midst of a life change or needing adventure, hasn’t thought about running away and being a “carnie”? The Atlanta Fair is celebrating its 50th anniversary coming to Atlanta and will be up and running until April 10. Unlike many carnivals, it doesn’t roam the country; it only operates in the metro Atlanta area. So, for most of the people working the rides or concession stands, it is more of a March through October day job, rather than a career as a carnie.
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Credit: Steve Schaefer
But there are some like June and Chad Young, who grew up on the carnival circuit. June is a fourth generation “carnie.” For most of the year she had a normal childhood, living in Slidell, Louisiana, and attending Catholic schools. That changed each summer when she would hit the road with her parents who owned a couple of rides, games and concession stands. Each summer they would join different carnivals traveling mainly throughout the Midwest. “I loved it. I was with my family so there was a lot to do. The people were really nice, a lot of families working it. It was more of a family carnival. Once in a while there was someone shady — a lot less than you would expect — but overall I loved it.”
She’s been off the “circuit” for the past seven years while she stayed home and home schooled her children. But she is now really happy to be back on it.
Her husband, Chad, who serves as the director of media relations, also grew up in the carnival world. Like his wife, his parents owned one ride as well as food stands and game booths. “We didn’t stay with one carnival. We hopscotched throughout Iowa and Minnesota.”
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Although Chad and June had the same background, they never crossed paths back in those days. Still for both of them, “It’s in your blood. It’s about meeting people and seeing the country. As a kid, what better life can you have than growing up in a carnival with all the rides and people? There weren’t a lot of carnival kids but you met people from all over the country, even the world. The circumstances and scenery were always changing. There was a cook house that would feed us every day so we didn’t have to eat the carnival food.”
Going into each town, he and the other carnival workers had to “fight the stereotypes that people had — like we were less than whatever. But overall there was a great group of really neat people.”
Those who worked the carnival with his parents were either life-time carnies or “kids out of high school who signed up for a year to travel, earn some money and have experiences.” Romances, he says, while they happened, weren’t the norm.
Credit: Grady McGill
Credit: Grady McGill
It looks as if the Youngs may have at least one child with carnival fever. Both their children, Alex, 15, and Anna, 12, now work in the family’s concession stand, Young’s Famous Chicken n Fries. Anna, a budding baker, wants her own baked goods booth next year. “The fair is a happy place. I like it. It was stressful the first day but now I really like coming here.”
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Credit: Steve Schaefer
There isn’t any difference if the carnival is in the country or city, he says. The Atlanta Fair, which is owned by Peachtree Rides, is located across the highway from the old Turner Field on Central Avenue. There are plenty of rides for kiddies but more family rides such as the ferris wheel, bumper cars and merry go round than at other fairs, he says. The heart-stopping rides include the Nemesis 360, which revolves around three axles to a height of 78 feet, the Ring-of-Fire and the Flying Dutchman.
Credit: Grady McGill
Credit: Grady McGill
Of course, food is a big part of a fair and funnel cakes, chicken on a stick and loaded fries are still fan favorites. This year there is a new concession stand, Sharon’s Diner, named after the late wife of the carnival’s owner, Ray Guthrie.
Credit: Grady McGill
Credit: Grady McGill
Guthrie, who grew up in southeastern Kentucky, loved when the carnival came to his small town of Middlesboro. The carnival bug must have bit him because, after graduating from college, he partnered with his brother Pat in the Guthrie Shows. After five years, Pat started a three-ring circus while Ray formed Derby State Shows that played fairs and festivals in Kentucky, Georgia, West Virginia and Tennessee. In 1885 he formed a second show, Peachtree Rides, and expanded it to include more than 50 rides, games and food.
Credit: Grady McGill
Credit: Grady McGill
The Atlanta Fair will pull up stakes April 10 but stays in the area (it makes a return visit Oct. 7-Nov. 6). The carnival (not the name Atlanta Fair) will travel to more than 30 other fairs around the area including Dunwoody Lemonade Days (April 20-24), Cartersville’s Pioneer Days (Sept. 3-6) and the Northeast Georgia Regional State Fair (Sept. 9-17).
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Whether kids of all ages go to the fair for the rides, cotton candy or to win a goldfish in a bag by throwing ping pong balls into a jar, it’s all the same, says Young. “Kids are kids.”
IF YOU GO
Atlanta Fair
Through April 10. $2-$8 admission; individual ride tickets $1.25; $25 for 25 ride tickets; $25 for unlimited arm bands. 688 Central Ave. SW, Atlanta. atlantafair.net.
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