History
Powers Great American Midways was formed in 1980 in Rochester, New York by current owner and operator Les "Corky" Powers. [3] The company originally began as a 10-to-12 ride local carnival which traveled around New York and Pennsylvania. It has since expanded to around 70 rides, composed of two units which can split and provide midways to smaller venues on their route throughout the eastern United States. [2] [3] [5]
Rochester is a city on the southern shore of Lake Ontario in western New York. With a population of 208,046 residents, Rochester is the seat of Monroe County and the third most populous city in New York state, after New York City and Buffalo. The metropolitan area has a population of just over 1 million people. It is about 73 miles (117 km) east of Buffalo and 87 miles (140 km) west of Syracuse.
New York is a state in the Northeastern United States. New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. With an estimated 19.54 million residents in 2018, it is the fourth most populous state. In order to distinguish the state from the city with the same name, it is sometimes referred to as New York State.
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state located in the northeastern, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The Appalachian Mountains run through its middle. The Commonwealth is bordered by Delaware to the southeast, Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario to the northwest, New York to the north, and New Jersey to the east.
A full-time refurbishing facility is located in Burgaw, North Carolina, operated year-round since 1994, where PGAM rides and equipment can be kept in great condition and smooth running order. It also serves as the winter quarters. [6] The facility has occasionally been used by the North Carolina Department of Labor for training ride inspection personnel. [7] Like other carnival midway companies, many PGAM rides have recently become eco-friendly including the use of LED lighting and biodiesel fueled generators.
Burgaw is a town in Pender County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,872 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Pender County.
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol producing fatty acid esters.
In 2006, PGAM was awarded a contract to provide the midway at the North Carolina State Fair. [5] They continue to operate it today. Other notable events the company currently works include the Great Allentown Fair in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the Big Butler Fair in Prospect, Pennsylvania and the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, Virginia. [8]
The North Carolina State Fair is an annual fair and agricultural exposition held in Raleigh, North Carolina, and organized by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The Great Allentown Fair is an annual fair and agricultural show that is held at the Allentown Fairgrounds in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It is operated by the Lehigh County Agricultural Society. It is one of the oldest fairs in the United States, and one of the largest in the state of Pennsylvania.
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city and the 231st largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently the fastest growing city in all of Pennsylvania. It is the largest city in the metropolitan area known as the Lehigh Valley, which had a population of 821,623 residents as of 2010. Allentown constitutes a portion of the New York City Combined Statistical Area and is the county seat of Lehigh County. In 2012, the city celebrated the 250th anniversary of its founding in 1762.
An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often featuring multiple areas with different themes. Unlike temporary and mobile funfairs and carnivals, amusement parks are stationary and built for long-lasting operation. They are more elaborate than city parks and playgrounds, usually providing attractions that cater to a variety of age groups. While amusement parks often contain themed areas, theme parks place a heavier focus with more intricately-designed themes that revolve around a particular subject or group of subjects.
In the United States, trolley parks, which started in the 19th century, were picnic and recreation areas along or at the ends of streetcar lines in most of the larger cities. These were precursors to amusement parks. Trolley parks were often created by the streetcar companies to give people a reason to use their services on weekends.
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 especially known for its large wooden roller coaster, called Zingo, designed by John C. Allen and built in 1966–68.
American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) is a non-profit organization focusing on the enjoyment, knowledge, and preservation of roller coasters as well as recognition of some as architectural and engineering landmarks. Dues paying members receive the quarterly magazine RollerCoaster! and bi-monthly newsletter ACE News. Amusement parks have also invited members to exclusive ride events at amusement parks as well as sneak peek events at new roller coasters under construction.
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 kids 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 Music Express is an amusement ride based on the original Caterpillar rides of Germany. Several near-identical ride designs are also produced by other companies; Musik Express by Italian company Bertazzon and US Majestic Rides, Himalaya by American company Wisdom Rides,
German company Mack, and French company Reverchon, and Silver Streak by Wisdom Rides. This ride is a modern adaption of the famous Harry Traver Caterpillar rides.
Midway State Park, located in Maple Springs, New York, was established in 1898 by the Jamestown & Lake Erie Railway as a picnic ground. Today, it is recognized as the fifteenth-oldest continually operating amusement park in the United States, and the fifth-oldest remaining trolley park of the thirteen still operating in the United States.
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an amusement and water park owned and operated by Cedar Fair and located in between Allentown, Pennsylvania and Emmaus, Pennsylvania. The park features seven roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom.
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 is the only midway company in the country that transports their personnel and equipment by train during its annual seven-month season. The train currently comprises 61 rail cars and 34 trucks.
The Whip was a ride originally designed and built by W.F. Mangels Company of Coney Island, New York, United States. William F. Mangels patented the ride in 1914 and it soon became an extremely popular ride.
The South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition, commonly called the Charleston Exposition or the West Indian Exposition, was a regional trade exposition held in Charleston, South Carolina from December 1, 1901 to June 20, 1902.
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.
Reithoffer Shows, Inc. is a North American, family-owned and operated traveling midway. They provide carnival and fair rides, games, and food to fairgrounds located mainly along the East Coast of the United States. Events featuring a Reithoffer Shows midway are held from April through November. The company's headquarters are located in Gibsonton, Florida, USA.
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." It claims to provide rides, games and food to over 15 million fairgoers every year in 20 states and 4 Canadian provinces, including 12 of the top 50 fairs in North America.
PGAM is an acronym which may refer to:
Larson International is a designer and manufacturer of amusement rides based in Plainview, Texas. The company has designed its own collection of amusement rides, as well as owning rights to rides originally designed by Bisch-Rocco and Sellner Manufacturing.
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.
