THE BALLOON MAN

Thursday, August 29, 2013

CIRQUE ITALIA--OPENS TONIGHT!

Cirque Italia

BUONGIORNO!
We'll see you all in Richmond VA
OPENING NIGHT for Cirque Italia (Aug 29th) at 7:30pm
Join us under the Big Top for a magical evening that you will never forget!
The Spectacular Water Circus is the FIRST show of its kind here in America, Richmond is our 11th stop in the US and we're excited to be here.
Today is the last day to save 10% on your tickets FOR Opening Night, to purchase your discounted tickets please visit http://cirqueitalia.com/ or give us a call 941.704.8572
Our box office opens at 10am-6pm today 8/28
10am-9pm on performance days!
We'll see you TONITE!
CIAO!

Maryland State Fair

iPrimeVid

Published on Aug 26, 2013

Maryland State Fair 2013.

at Timonium State Fair Ground.

CARSON & BARNES RECENT FOTOS---

Josie Loyal and her beautiful Appaloosa liberty horses.

Check out some of the new lighting and special effects.

It's a beautiful night to see the circus! Carson and Barnes' flying act: The Flying Cavallinis.

Watching the tent go up and down always adds to the excitement of the circus. How many times do you think the tent gets raised and torn down in a typical season of Carson and Barnes?

SAHIB SHRINE CIRCUS

Come see the exquisite and terrifically talented Gena Shvartsman Christiani! This stunning beauty will astound you with her juggling agility--don’t miss her signature hat spinning, 5-club juggling and other amazing feats! Buy your tickets now to see Gena at the Sahib Shrine Circus, presented by Circus Sarasota—only three performances: Friday, Oct 4 @ 7pm and Saturday, Oct 5 @ 2pm and 7pm—located inside the Sailor Circus Arena.

Witness the aerial dexterity of The Flying Cortes at the Sahib Shrine Circus, presented by Circus Sarasota! The Flying Cortes hail from Colombia and have been entertaining audiences for 8 generations. Only 3 chances to see this thrilling performance located inside the Sailor Circus Arena: Friday, October 4 at 7pm and Saturday, October 5 at 2 & 7pm. Order your tickets online www.CircusSarasota.org or call our box
office (941) 355-9805.

MARYLAND STATE FAIR

Ava checks out 'Goat Mountain' at Md. State Fair

WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore

Published on Aug 26, 2013

Ava Marie finds out more about the new Goat Mountain exhibit at the Maryland State Fair in Timonium, as well as what's going on at the birthing center. The fair runs now through Labor Day.

MONICA WELDE

APPALACHIAN FAIR

Fair workers have own battle

From: Johnsoncityexpress.com
August 23rd, 2013
There’s a competition at the Appalachian Fair among some of the workers. It’s a competition for your attention, and your money.
Vendors, game operators and ride attendees hollering at those who pass by is nothing new, but the way they go about it varies from person to person. For a lot of the game operators, their pay increases with the amount of money spent at their game.
Alfred “Soul Man” Jenkins, of Fayetteville, N.C., executes a louder, more aggressive approach to getting people to spend money at his Bank-A-Ball game. He shouts something to the effect of “three balls for $5, or seven balls for $10,” to get you to spend your money.
If he can get a second look of interest of yours, he lays on the charm, gets up close and personal, maybe tells you that he calls collard greens “M-O-N-E-Y” and has great success in getting your leafy greens.
Tyler Lawson, who sells toys at a stand, operates quite differently in making sales. He boasts having a clean, organized space, even sweeping up the concrete area around his stand, and stresses treating everyone with respect.
“I like to get a kid’s attention with my bubble gun, and try to catch their eye,” Lawson said. “Once I get comfortable with them, and don’t get too loud, the kids and their parents will check out the cool stuff I have for sale.”
After watching Lawson carry out a sales interaction, and questioning the customer as to why they bought toys from his stand and not another vendors’, it was clear his plan worked exactly as he explained it.
“I feel like a lot of people here are hustlers,” Kim Harrington, of Bristol, Va., said. “They negotiate with you like a used car salesman, and (Lawson) didn’t do that.”
While some of the vendors at the fair might very well operate like used car salesmen, they haven’t drawn any complaints for their sales pitches.
The sheriff’s office, who patrols the fairgrounds, said they’ve never had any problems or complaints about overly aggressive carnival workers, and, in fact, were somewhat surprised that vendors weren’t more over the top.
“Never in 12 years of doing this have I had a complaint about them,” one deputy said. “I’m actually surprised they’re so tame in comparison to the guys at the big amusement parks.”
A great deal of the workers have the majority of the year to perfect their sales pitch. Many will work nine months out of the year, touring the Southeast with the amusement ride company only to return to their home for three winter months.
read more:http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/article/110515/fair-workers-have-own-battle

TROY CAMPBELL

Artist Portrait: Troy Campbell
Applause celebrates an artist in our community bi-weekly

CHARMAIN Z. BRACKETT/SPECIAL
Troy Campbell's artwork reflects influences from Korea.
From: chronicle.augusta.com
By Charmain Z. Brackett
Wednesday, Aug 28, 2013
Troy Campbell has worn many hats in his lifetime.
He worked for Big Apple Circus and served a stint as a musician in the Army. His love through all of it has been his artwork.
“I grew up drawing. I got a BFA in studio art from Augusta College,” said Campbell, whose pieces can be seen at spots around town including Tire City and Bee’s Knees.

CHARMAIN Z. BRACKETT/SPECIAL
Many of Troy Campbell's art pieces are abstract, but others include nature themes mixed with a hint of the Far East
Campbell recently returned from a tour of duty with the U.S. Army in Korea, and the Asian influence shows up in his mixed media pieces. He has used a variety of materials as canvases, including a timpani head protector, which he saved from the garbage dump, and pieces of Masonite. Scraps of paper including Korean writing have been incorporated into some of the designs.
Many of his pieces are abstract, but others include nature themes mixed with a hint of the Far East.
Campbell would like to use the education benefits he received in the Army to further his art studies, but he’d also like to return to Asia at some point. He has considered several programs, including one based on Asian calligraphy, but is undecided.
Find more of Campbell’s art on Facebook at facebook.com/troy.campbell.7771.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Exploring the Midway at the Fair: 8-28-13

From: 9wsyr.com

Staci-Lyn Honda is at the New York State Fair Midway where fairgoers are starting to notice the rising ride prices

Sea Lion Show at the Fair: 8-28-13

From: 9wsyr.om

Staci-Lyn Honda stops by the Sea Lion Show at the New York State Fair.

OPENING OF THE GREAT ALLENTOWN FAIR

From: The Morning Call

August 27, 2013

Circus to come to Clitheroe
From: thisislancashire.co.uk
27th August 2013
THE circus is set to come to town in Clitheroe to mark the end of a series of summer events.

Circus Funtasia will open from Thursday until September 1 off the Eshton Terrace entrance in the Clitheroe Castle grounds as part of its first UK tour from Spain and will feature comedy clowns and acrobats.

Tickets cost £10 for adults and £8 for children with shows on Thursday and Friday starting at 5pm and 7pm, on Saturday at 3pm and 6pm and Sunday at 2pm and 5pm.

MARYLAND STATE FAIR

Concerts, Farm Events Set for State Fair's Remaining Days
Three Days Grace and Fall Out Boy will perform at the Maryland State Fair in Timonium, which ends Monday.

Riders enjoy the Maryland State Fair in 2010
(Photo credit: Monica Lopossay)
From: westminister.patch.com
by Kym Byrnes (Editor) ,
August 27, 2013
by Tyler Waldman
The Maryland State Fair is well under way at the Timonium Fairgrounds, but there are still plenty of concerts and special events before the late-summer tradition ends next Monday.
On Thursday, Fall Out Boy will perform at the fair, with tickets starting at $45. Three Days Grace will perform Sunday, with general admission tickets starting at $30.
The fair also has events including the Swifty Swine pig races, a pony show, a slime lab and a visit from a replica Batmobile. Check out thefair's schedule online.
read more:
http://westminster.patch.com/groups/buy-sell-trade/p/washer-new

TEXAS STATE FAIR FOOD

See Texas State Fair’s 2013 fried foods, including fried Nutella and fried Thanksgiving dinner
from: dallasnews.com
August 28, 2013

The State Fair of Texas has seen both odd and interesting fried foods since the Big Tex Choice Awards' debut in 2005. Scroll through to see some of them -- Fernie’s Deep Fried King Ranch Casserole – This stick-to-your-ribs TEXAS SHAPED creation is melted cheese, salty, spicy, goodness that is dipped in a zesty southwestern egg wash and coated in panko bread crumbs. Deep fried golden brown and crunchy on the outside; steamy and creamy on the inside! Served with a side of red, white, and blue tortilla chips and your choice of our homemade “salsafied” sour cream or cheesy queso. Each one proudly flying the flag of the Lone Star State and deep fried in the Heart of Texas!

RAMOS BROS CIRCUS

Circus plans 11-day run in Manteca

August 27, 2013
Ramos Brothers Circus starts an 11-day run Thursday in Manteca, CA.
The circus offers camels, zebras, ostriches and dog acts to boot until Sunday, Sept. 8, on East Yosemite Avenue near Highway 99 next to McDonald’s restaurant. Shows include two trapeze acts with black light, one with a motorcycle and additional black light accents.

The circus on weeknights has one show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday shows are at 5 and 8 p.m. Sundays feature three shows at 2, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Erecting the big tent takes some 40 hours and a staff of more than three dozen workers. The show features nearly 20 performers and a staff of five dozen support staff who travel from city to city on the circus circuit.

Operating the circus has been a Ramos family tradition for five generations. Third generation Alex Ramos came to the United States in 1983 to work for the Carson and Barnes Circus. In 2005 the family opened its own circus on the West Coast with performances in California, Nevada and Arizona for nearly 40 years. The family has claimed Las Vegas as their home during the two off months when the circus is not on the road.

Raul Castano easily steals the show as the performing clown with his dog “Cookie” who can rob him blind while the audience watches as he is being inattentive. Castano usually blames a member of the audience – tongue in cheek – for the thefts.