History
Wade Shows was founded in 1912 by Leander "Lee" Wade. [1] [3] The family-owned company began playing at small events in the greater Detroit area, first known as Imperial Shows, and later Joyland Midway Attractions after Lee Wade retired. Wallace G. "W.G." Wade, the oldest son of Lee Wade, started his own operation in 1916 called W.G. Wade Shows. [3] Like his father's company, W.G. Wade Shows began locally, and would later provide carnival attractions at other events throughout Michigan. In 1952, the Michigan State Fair would be added to their route for the first time. W.G. Wade managed the company until his death in 1956, when his son Wallace G. "Glenn" Wade Jr. took over. [3]
Prior to W.G. Wade's death, Glenn Wade operated his own midway company, which would later be combined with W.G. Wade Shows. [3] He would serve as the first president of the Outdoor Amusement Business Association, founded in 1964, and remained a member until his death in 2008. During that time, W.G. Wade Shows also joined carnival syndicate, Amusement Corporation of America, in order to make the company more known throughout the country. [3]
W.G. Wade Shows would be acquired in 1984 by current owner Frank Zaitshik, who maintains offices in both Michigan and Florida. licensed under Wade Shows, Inc.Shop and maintenance city located in Florida at: 16958 US Highway 41 Brooksville, FL, 34610-3741 United States. [3] Today, Wade Shows operates over 100 amusement rides and attractions which serve millions of fairgoers annually. [1] Like other carnival midway companies, many of their rides have become eco-friendly including the use of LED lighting and biodiesel fueled generators as well as participating in recycling programs with area fair managers. [1]
Wade Shows has recently been competitive in bidding to provide midways at state fairs, which includes winning a ten-year contract for the Great New York State Fair in 2014 (shared with Dreamland Amusements). [4] Some other state fairs the company currently works include the North Alabama State Fair, North Carolina State Fair (shared with Powers Great American Midways), Oklahoma State Fair, Florida State Fair, Missouri State Fair, Delaware State Fair and Nebraska State Fair. [1]
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.
Lee Ulrich Eyerly was an American civil aviation pioneer and amusement ride manufacturer. Eyerly helped found Salem Oregon's McNary Field, built the Flying E Ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona and invented several amusement park rides including the Loop-O-Plane, the Roll-O-Plane the Fly-O-Plane the Rock-O-Plane, and the Octopus.
The North Carolina State Fair is an American state fair and agricultural exposition held annually in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1853, the fair is organized by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It attracts around a million visitors over eleven days in mid-October.
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.
Tilt-A-Whirl is a flat ride similar to the Waltzer in Europe, designed for commercial use at amusement parks, fairs, and carnivals, in which it is commonly found. The rides are manufactured by Larson International of Plainview, Texas.
The Gravitron is an amusement ride, most commonly found as a portable ride at fairs and carnivals. The Gravitron first appeared at Morey's Piers in 1983, designed and manufactured by Wisdom Industries. It is a modification of an earlier ride called the Rotor.
A funhouse or fun house is an amusement facility found in amusement parks and funfair midways, equipped with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, or amuse visitors. Unlike thrill rides or dark rides, fun houses are participatory attractions where visitors enter and move around at their own pace. Incorporating aspects of a obstacle course, they seek to distort conventional perceptions and startle people with unpredictable physical circumstances.
KMG is a Dutch company manufacturing amusement rides, located in Neede, Gelderland. KMG has constructed over 300 rides to date.
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.
The Octopus is a type of amusement ride in the shape of an octopus. Six to eight arms attached to a central axis of rotation and move up and down in a wavelike motion via a counter rotating eccentric, while cars at the end of the arms, either attached directly to the arm or fixed on spinning crosses, spin freely or stay in place, depending on the exact type of ride. Each Octopus ride has the arms attached the middle of the ride. The middle or centric of the ride will move somehow. Most octopus rides require guests to be at least 42 inches to ride without an adult; smaller children must have an adult with them. This is a regular at the annual AGS and AHS fairs in Ateneo de Manila University
The Scrambler, Twist, Twister, Cha Cha, Sizzler, or Merry Mixer, is an amusement ride in which suspended riders spinning in cars experience centrifugal force, while spinning along two separate axes. Riders are seated in small carriages clustered together and connected by beams at the top to a central point. The clustered vehicles are spun in one direction, while the ride as a whole spins in the opposite direction. There are a number of variations of the design.
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. Rail transportation returned once again in 2024 to commemorate the 100 year partnership with the Erie County Fair. The train has now been retired as of August 2024.
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.
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." NAME provides rides, games and food to over 15 million fairgoers every year in 20 states and 4 Canadian provinces. In 2018, NAME was recognized as the leading midway provider to the top 50 fairs of North America.
Eyerly Aircraft Company was an amusement ride manufacturing company in Salem, Oregon, founded by Lee Eyerly in 1930. The company originally intended to design flight simulators for the aircraft industry but shifted to amusement rides after an early simulator, called Orientator, became a popular pay-per-ride attraction with the public. The company manufactured rides until 1985 and went bankrupt in 1990, following a fatal accident in 1988 on a ride built by the company.
Powers Great American Midways (PGAM) is a family operated traveling carnival midway company based in Corfu, New York. It provides amusement rides, games and concessions for local, county and state fairs throughout the eastern United States. The business is a trade name of Amusements of Rochester, Inc.
Bulgy the Whale is a children's amusement ride manufactured by Eyerly Aircraft Company. It consists of eight whale-shaped ride vehicles traveling in a counter-clockwise rotation, similar to a carousel, while traveling up and down small hills. Although the Eyerly Aircraft Company ceased operation in the 1980s, there are still several Bulgy the Whale rides in operation. Some have had their whales repainted to resemble fish instead of whales, and others have had thematic pieces added, but the general operation and idea remains the same.
Royal American Shows (RAS) were 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."
Smokey's Greater Shows is a traveling carnival midway company based in Fryeburg, Maine, United States. It provides amusement rides, games and concessions for local, county and state fairs throughout Maine. It appeared at the Fryeburg Fair for over forty years, before its partnership ended in 2022.
