Carnival changes at this year's PC Fair

Kids Fun Zone and Amusement, a ride company based out of Great Falls, Mont., will be bringing their eight mechanical rides and four games to the Phillips County Fair this August and will be coupled with five large inflatable attractions to round-out this year's Midway.

Phillips County Fair Board's Eric Wilke told the PCN last week that each year, fair boards across the state are challenged with the question of "will there be a carnival this year?" and the 2018 Phillips County Fair was in that boat recently.

"Fun Time Carnival, who has done our fair for the past decade, decided not to do this route in Montana this year," he said. "There are about five fairs that lost that carnival for this year. Some of them are having to go to only inflatables, like Plentywood, so we are happy that we have some mechanical rides this year because there are not a lot of them out there anymore. Even a lot of bigger fairs truly struggle to get rides anymore because the business is changing."

Wilke said that rides this year will be supplied by Jeff Erickson's The Kids Fun Zone and Amusements, which features eight mechanical rides - Bungee Jumper, Mini Ferris Wheel, Kiddie Swing Ride, Kiddie Train, Whizzer, Tubs of Fun, Spider, Air Plane Ride - and four carnival games. He said that the rides are all smaller than in years passed and are pulled behind a regular sized pickup instead of semi trucks.

"We might also have a full-sized scrambler, but that is still up in the air, so we aren't sure yet," he said.

Wilke said along with the rides for smaller children, another feature at this year's midway will be five large inflatable attractions which are: An obstacle course, a Water Fight (water balloon fights), a Slip and Slide, a Bounce House, and (returning from last year) the Paint-less Paintball course.

Wilke said that unlike years passed, there will be no pre-sale of tickets but rather they will be sold at the fair.

"We want people to be able to see all the rides and everything before they purchase tickets," he said. "It will be less expensive than in years passed and there will be discounted all-day passes available at the fair."

Wilke said the price of tickets and passes hasn't been announced yet because he is waiting to see if the bigger, Scrambler ride will be added to the lineup. He said that all rides and games will be operational by 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 2 and tickets for the Bungee Trampoline will be sold by The Kids Fun Zone and the wristbands and tickets for other rides will be sold by the Phillips County Fair.

"We are happy that we are able to still find a carnival with mechanical rides," he said. "We hope to see everyone at the fair."