North American Midway Entertainment

Last updated
North American Midway Entertainment
Company type Subsidiary
IndustryAmusement - Midway
Founded2004
Headquarters,
USA
Area served
United States, Canada
Key people
Danny Huston (President)
Products Amusement ride rental/operation and traveling carnival management
Parent North American Fairs, LLC
Website http://www.namidway.com

North American Midway Entertainment, LLC (NAME) is an American provider of midway services based in Farmland, Indiana that describes itself as "the world's largest traveling outdoor amusement park." [1] [2] [3] NAME provides rides, games and food to over 15 million fairgoers every year in 20 states and 4 Canadian provinces. [4] In 2018, NAME was recognized as the leading midway provider to the top 50 fairs in North America. [5]

Currently, NAME provides midway services to over 130 events across the continent and also offers opportunities for special event amusement ride rentals.

The company represents a merger in 2004 of several midway companies, including part of Conklin Shows, the former Farrow Shows from Jackson, Mississippi, and Thebault-Blomsness (Astro Amusements and All Star Amusements). Later acquisitions were Mid America Shows and part of Cumberland Valley Shows.

North American Midway Entertainment was acquired by Townsquare Media of Greenwich, Connecticut in August 2015. [6] On May 24, 2018, Townsquare Media sold North American Midway Entertainment to North American Fairs, LLC for $23.5 million. [7]

NAME operates an award-winning employee recognition program called "The Magnificent Employee Program".

In 2019, NAME partnered with Netflix to launch the third season of Stranger Things at the Calgary Stampede. The company transformed the Giant Wheel with a massive banner and decals featuring characters and monsters which was just 1 of 5 attractions that were altered to be a little bit “Stranger” for the duration of the Stampede. Other attractions included Spider Ride, Mardi Gras, the Euroslide and the Balloon Pop Game. However, it wasn’t just the rides that were transformed - fairgoers were also able to purchase drinks and popcorn that featured the “Hawkins Fun Fair” branding which were sold to them by Hawkins Fun Fair Staff. [8]

Also in 2019, NAME purchased a 150 foot tall (46 meters) traveling Ferris Wheel and premiered it at the South Carolina State Fair. [9] The wheel is manufactured in Europe by Ronald Bussink of Professional Rides AG and travels on 20 tractor trailer loads. This particular Ferris Wheel features 36 gondolas that seat 4 to 6 guest per gondola.

Clients

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferris wheel</span> Amusement ride

A Ferris wheel is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, they are kept upright, usually by gravity. Some of the largest modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on the outside of the rim, with electric motors to independently rotate each car to keep it upright. These cars are often referred to as capsules or pods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian National Exhibition</span> Annual event held in Toronto

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the third Friday of August leading up to and including Labour Day, the first Monday in September. With approximately 1.6 million visitors each year, the CNE is Canada's largest annual community event and one of the top fairs in North America. The fair is a combination of agricultural exhibits and events, carnival rides and entertainment, live music, food and special events. Special events include the Warriors Day Parade, the Labour Day Parade and the Canadian International Air Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midway (fair)</span>

A midway at a fair is the location where carnival games, amusement rides, entertainment, dime stores, themed events, exhibitions and trade shows, pleasure gardens, water parks and food booths cluster. The midway is located between the entrance and the big top of a circus; thus, a carnival is essentially a travelling midway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morey's Piers</span> Amusement park in New Jersey

Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Waterparks is a seaside amusement park located on The Wildwoods' boardwalk in Wildwood and North Wildwood, New Jersey. The park has been family owned and operated since 1969 and is currently run by 2nd generation Morey Brothers, Will and Jack. Morey’s Piers has more than 100 rides and attractions across its three amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks.

Bell's Amusement Park was an amusement park located in Tulsa's Expo Square, part of the Tulsa State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma. It operated for 55 years before closing in 2006. The park was previously owned and operated by Keli and Jason Fritz. It was especially known for its large wooden roller coaster, called Zingo, designed by John C. Allen and built in 1966–68.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conklin Shows</span> North American traveling amusement corporation

Conklin Shows was the largest traveling amusement corporation in North America. The 75-year-old company operated traveling carnivals at various summer agricultural shows across North America and is based in Brantford, Ontario, and formerly also in West Palm Beach, Florida. The company has a long history in Canada, providing entertainment for generations of children and adults. The organization used to operate the midway services for some of Canada's largest summer fairs including the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, the Calgary Stampede, and Edmonton's K-Days. In 2004, Conklin Shows International route and equipment were sold to North American Midway Entertainment.

A Kamikaze is a pendulum amusement ride, usually found as a traveling ride, with some examples found at amusement parks. The ride is manufactured by FarFabbri & Sartori, and first made its debut in 1984. Since then, over 150 Kamikazes have been sold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Park</span> Amusement park in California

Pacific Park is an oceanfront amusement park located in Santa Monica, California. The park, located on the Santa Monica Pier, looks directly out on the Pacific Ocean, in the direction of Catalina Island. It is the only amusement park directly located on the West Coast of the United States located on a pier and LA's only admission-free park. There are a total of thirteen rides in Pacific Park, including the world's first and only solar-powered ferris wheel that provides a view of the Pacific Ocean and a roller coaster that circles the majority of the park. Pacific Park is also home to 14 midway games and over-the-ocean food and retail outlets. It has appeared in over 500 movies and television shows such as Fat Albert, Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Kidsongs, 90210, Bean, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, as well as the popular video game Grand Theft Auto V. In 2020, it featured in the opening ident for the sky television channel Sky Comedy. It is operated by Premier Parks LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enterprise (ride)</span> Amusement ride model

The Enterprise is an amusement ride, manufactured primarily by HUSS Park Attractions and Anton Schwarzkopf beginning in 1972. The HUSS ride was an adaptation and improvement of a design produced earlier that year by Schwarzkopf, with an increased passenger capacity. Despite not owning the original incarnation of the ride, HUSS was issued the patent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chance Rides</span> Ride manufacturer

Chance Rides is a roller coaster and amusement ride manufacturer. Originally founded in 1961, the current company was formed on May 16, 2002, when the former Chance Industries Inc. emerged from bankruptcy. The main office and manufacturing facility are located in Wichita, Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strates Shows</span>

Strates Shows, Inc. is a family operated traveling carnival midway company based in Orlando, Florida. It provides amusement rides, games and concessions for local, county and state fairs throughout the United States. Strates Shows was the only midway company left in the country that transported their personnel and equipment by train during its annual seven-month season. The train consisted of 61 rail cars and 34 truck, until 2019 when the show began to only operate by trucking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock-O-Plane</span> Amusement park ride

The Rock-O-Plane is an amusement park ride designed by Lee Eyerly in 1948 and manufactured by the Eyerly Aircraft Company of Salem, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traveling carnival</span> Moveable amusement park

A traveling carnival, usually simply called a carnival, travelling funfair or travelling show, is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, and animal acts. A traveling carnival is not set up at a permanent location, like an amusement park or funfair, but is moved from place to place. Its roots are similar to the 19th century circus with both being fitted-up in open fields near or in town and moving to a new location after a period of time. In fact, many carnivals have circuses while others have a clown aesthetic in their decor. Unlike traditional Carnival celebrations, the North American traveling carnival is not tied to a religious observance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Star</span> Ferris wheel at Fair Park in Dallas

Texas Star is a Ferris wheel at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, where it operates during the annual State Fair of Texas as its most popular ride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tornado (Wisdom ride)</span> Amusement ride

The Tornado is an amusement ride manufactured by Wisdom Industries Ltd. Most Tornadoes travel with a traveling midway company to many fairs with many other rides.

White City is the common name of dozens of amusement parks in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Inspired by the White City and Midway Plaisance sections of the World's Columbian Exhibition of 1893, the parks started gaining in popularity in the last few years of the 19th century. After the 1901 Pan-American Exposition inspired the first Luna Park in Coney Island, a frenzy in building amusement parks ensued in the first two decades of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star City (amusement park)</span> Amusement park in the Philippines

Star City is a 35,000 m2 (380,000 sq ft) amusement park in Pasay, Philippines. It is located in the reclaimed area of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, part of Bay City. The facility is owned by Star Parks Corporation, a subsidiary of Elizalde Holdings Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">US Thrill Rides</span> Defunct american entertainment design and consulting company

US Thrill Rides was an entertainment design and consulting company in Orlando, Florida. It was best known for creating thrill rides in several US locations.

Wade Shows, Inc. is a traveling carnival midway company based in Livonia, Michigan. It provides amusement rides, games and concessions for local, county and state fairs throughout the eastern and central United States. The company also has an office in Spring Hill, Florida, location of its winter quarters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal American Shows</span>

Royal American Shows (RAS) was a leading American traveling carnival company that operated from the 1920s to the 1990s in the United States and, until the 1970s, in Canada. The company promoted itself as the "Most Beautiful Show on Earth", with the "World's Largest Midway."

References

  1. "37th Annual Indian River Festival". Orlando: WFTV. May 2, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012. With North American Midway Entertainment...
  2. "Prep for Thibodaux Firemen's Fair". Houma Courier. Houma, Louisiana. May 2, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012. Workers with North American Midway Entertainment set up carnival rides Monday in preparation for the upcoming Firemen's Fair in Thibodaux. (photo caption)
  3. Snyder, Katye (April 22, 2012). "Late Nite Carnival brings in at least 3,000". The Ball State Daily News. Retrieved May 20, 2012. North American Midway Entertainment supplied the rides and some of the games for the carnival.
  4. "North American Midway Entertainment (official site)" . Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  5. "2018 Top Carnival Companies: Improved Economy and Better Price Promotions Highlight Challenging Fair". CarnivalWarehouse.com. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  6. North American Midway Entertainment, NAME Acquired By Townsquare Media, LLC, Retrieved Oct. 28, 2015.
  7. "Townsquare Media Closes On Sale Of North American Midway Entertainment, LLC". All Access.
  8. Babych, Stephanie (2019-07-04). "Stranger Things will be happening at Calgary Stampede". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  9. "NAME Debuts New Giant Wheel at South Carolina State Fair". CarnivalWarehouse.com. Retrieved 2019-10-11.