Joie Chitwood-Thrill Show King

I remember a big hit in the summer time was when Dad would take Bill and Me to the Kent & Sussex Fair to see the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show. Of course now it's the Delaware State Fair.

Thrill Shows are now kinda a thing of the past. There are still a couple shows around.

Especially in the Northeast. I noticed at Honesdale, PA they had one this year.

DANNY FLEENOR'S HURRICANE HELL DRIVERS--Remember When?

NATIONAL HARD CRAB DERBY RACE

NATIONAL HARD CRAB DERBY & FAIR CRISFIELD MD

The Hard Crab Derby is an annual attraction every year down at Crisfield, MD, right on the Chesapeake Bay.

It usually features a Carnival, with which I used to work, a Cooking Contest, a crab peeling contest, a boat docking contest and of course the Beauty Queen Contest, a huge parade, and last but not least The Hard Crab Races, with crabs entered representing many states. It always runs the weekend befor Labor Day and closes Sunday night.

Elizabeth Long was crowned Miss Crustacean 2008 at the Miss Crustacean Pageant at Crisfield High School on Thursday. Long competed with 10 other contestants for the coveted crown. Long was also named Miss Photogenic. (Patty Hancock photo)

Adam Gibson offers samples of his Maryland Crab Imperial Nachos to Betsy Thompson. Gibson took the top cooking prize. (Patty Hancock

NATIONAL HARD CRAB DERBY & FAIR-CRISFIELD, MD

August 30, 2008
Crabs are ready to raceCooking, pageant winners return title to their familiesBy Liz HollandStaff Writer
CRISFIELD -- A seventh-grader with a passion for cooking was named the grand prize winner Friday at the annual Crab Cooking Contest.
Adam Gibson, 12, of Marion Station beat 24 adult cooks for the top honors with his Maryland Crab Imperial Nachos, which also won first place in the soup and appetizer division.
"That was just incredible to win the division," he said. "Then I won grand prize -- I'm stunned right now."
This was not Gibson's first attempt in the annual contest. Two years ago he won a first-place prize for his Key Lime Crab Salad. Last year he entered, but did not win.
The Somerset Intermediate School student said he is already thinking of where he would like to go to college five years from now. Although he hasn't decided on a school yet, he hopes to study culinary arts and combine it with an education degree in order to teach.
"That would be really cool," he said.
His interest in both teaching and cooking comes naturally. His mother is Maryland Teacher of the Year April Todd. His stepfather, Andrew Todd, was Somerset County Teacher of the Year two years ago and the grand-prize winner the 2006 cooking contest.
The Crab Cooking Contest was one of the kickoff events to this weekend's 61st National Hard Crab Derby.
On Thursday night, 16-year-old Elizabeth Long was crowned this year's Miss Crustacean.
The senior at Crisfield High School helped hand out awards at the cooking contest and will preside over other Crab Derby events today and Sunday.
The daughter of Gail and Lee Long isn't the first in her family to win the title. Her aunt, Wendy Reese Noll, was Miss Crustacean 1981 and her cousin, Brittani Hinman, was Miss Crustacean 2006.
The Crab Derby continues today with a parade on Main Street at 11 a.m., the Governor's Cup Race at 2 p.m., the Crab Derby at 2:30 and Crab Picking Contest at 3:30 p.m.
Most events are on the grounds of Somers Cove Marina, which opens at noon today and Sunday.
Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children 12 and younger.
somersetherald@gannett.com

The Ballon Peddlers Lament!

The 'BUG MAN" from Bob Cox

Any one remember the Bug Man?

Well for you first of mays the Bug Man sold Chamelons that were displayed on a Bug Board.

Here it happens to be a lady on the old Hunt-Bartok show.

The most famous bug man was a little gentleman, with a big heart, Murray Fein.

Bill and I had the pleasure of meeting and becomming friends with Murray when we were playing the Orange County Fair in Middletown, NY.

The "Bugs" were sold with a tiny collar and leash!

Of course today you probably would never get away selling them today that way!
Murray was the Bug Man on the Ringling Show for years!

D B WHARTON CIRCUS 1970 #1

The D. B. Wharton Circus, formerly Dykes and Wharton Combined Vaudeville Circus.

These shots, and there's only two of them were sent to me by Fred Hoffman.

This picture shows the Concession Truck, an old Hunt Show truck,.

It pulled the combination office and concession trailer.

The whole show moved on three trucks. The other one being a Chevrolet Panel.

Dave tried to do everything, Booking Agent, Concessions, Front Door, Announcer and performer!

Any other performers were sparse.

This might have been the farewell tour.

His demise owed to an accident on a bridge, at the bottom of a hill, entering Mansfield PA.

Dave's gone now so I'm not going to go any further with that story!

Dave had plenty of Moxie, as the old timers used to say!

D B WHARTON CIRCUS #2 1970

The tractor here used to be one of the Hunt Show Elephant tractors.That

We purchased from Harry Hunt in 1967.

It's pulling the "Everything" trailer, Poles, Canvas, Seats and Generator.

The Big Top on the show was a 50' round with 2 20' middles.

It had been purchased from the old Mills Show and was used as a side show top on that show.

Col JERRY LIPKO (Fred Hoffman pics)

Jerry Lipko had a chimp act back in the 70's and 80's.

He worked Circus Dates, Shopping centers, carnivals and fairs.

He featured a chimp named "Sammy"

It was a very entertaining act.

Then one day he stopped at a barber shop to get a haircut.

Whilr he was inside his truck caught on fire and destroyed everything including his chimps!

What A Shane!

The last time we saw him was at the Honesdale Fair back in the 80's.

He had a baby chimp that he brought out to the fair and took pictures with him.

I beleive he was working at Lake Ariel, near Honesdale, that summer.

Col JERRY LIPKO

I beleive these were taken at a Fireman's Carnival in PA.

Buffalo Bill

ALLENTOWN FAIR VIDEO

MINNESOTA STATE FAIR-2008

The Minnesota State Fair is on of the Largest State Fairs in the U.S.A.

There's no organized carnival here. The Fair has a completly Independent Midway.

Made up of rides and coincessions from various Carnivals and Independent owners.

Of course the first photo is of one of the Gates to the Fair.

And the the last two pictures are (What Else?) Souvenir Stands.

Boy are they loaded with stock or not?
Photos are from the Minnesota State Fair web site.

MINNESOTA STATE FAIR

A "Foot-Long Corn Dog!"

CORN DOGS

ARE A STAPLE AT MOST MID-WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FAIRS.

OF COURSE THEY COME IN MANY DIFFERENT NAMES.

THESE ARE CALLED PRONTO PUPS.

I remember one story about corn dogs.

Bill and I were playing the Indiana County Fair in western PA.

A guy booked the fair with a corn dog stand and blanked out.

Well come to find out in PA most people have to have an Italian Sausage Sandwich at the fair.

They acted as if they didn't even know what a corn dog was.

But you could go west just over the Ohio Line, which wasn't all that far and the folks out there all have to have a corn dog at the fair.

Just goes to show you how different regions have their favorites.

And when your in the concession business you better know what they like before you book the spot!

Of course nowadays corn dogs sell well just about everywhere.

Kentucky State Fair Ad

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=38715367


Kentucky State Fair Commercial

Good Bye Mr Rooster

I hope I don't upset anyone!

But last night I had to delete the Allentown Fair 2006 post.

I got tired of everytime I accesed the blog that damn rooster started crowing!

Well He's gone now.

hahaha!

Bob Cox

Here's a guy that's been around. Bob Cox at the Texas State Fair in 1988 (Top) and 1989 Bottom with punch balls. I bet he had a tangled mess!

I remember about that time Bill and I were playing a little fair, Gratz, PA and we had a gin pole set up full of punch balls. We filled them with dry beans so that they rattled.

Well right next to our joint was a cotton candy trailer. One day the sun was shinning brightly and started popping our punch balls on the pole!

Well those beans would go flying and right next to us was a popcorn trailer. We drove that kid in the popcorn nuts that afternoon. He couln't figure out what was making the pinging noice on the side of his trailer! hahahaha!

Clyde Beatty

Movie Star, Radio Star, TV Star, you name it!

In my humble opinion A REAL SHOWMAN!

Cristiani Bros Circus 1957 #1

These pictures were from the collection of Paul Horseman, Auburn, NY.

Unfortunately I don't have any information on them.

Of course I did recoginize the Zachinni Cannon.

Agan Click on the pictures to enlarge them!

Cristiani Bros Circus 1957 #2

Cristiani Bros Circus 1957 #3

Zachinni Cannon

Cristiani Bros Circus 1957 #4

Cristiani Bros Circus 1957 #6

Russian Bar routine

Russian Bar routine

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Check this out! Dick

MARYLAND STATE FAIR PHOTOS

Some Photos out of the Baltimore Sun taken this week.
Evening shot of the Wave Swinger Looks Like a full load on this one!
What a beautiful Sight!

Allentown Fair Attractions

Two new additions to the Allentown Fair are Shannon, front, and Cora, elephants that will be featured daily at the Allentown Fair as part of The Elephant Encounter.

Bill and Cindy Morris owners.

BOBBY FAIRCHILD

CARNY-New Documentary-Sundance Channel

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=17100344

CARNY

"Doc" Milton Bartok

Thanks to Bob Cox for sending this snapshot of Doc Bartok the first year he had the Hunt-Bartok Circus on the road back in the 1960's.

An interesting note to this picture is that Doc Bartok stopped in at our store in Salisbury and gave us the news that he had just purchased a big part of the Hunt Bros. Circus the day before.

The reason for Doc's nickname is that years ago he owned an old fashioned, under canvas medicine show. While he was in the store that day a couple of customers that came in recognized him from the medicine show that had played Salisbury at least 20 years before.

Doc had a medication called Bardex that was still on the shelves at drugstores in Salisbury.

Doc Passed away quite a few years ago.

Powers Great American Midway

Here's a shot of Powers Great American Midway taken last week at the Gaithersburg, MD, Prince Georges County Fair.

They open tonight at the Great Allentown Fair

ALLENTOWN FAIR

Well the 2008 Edition of the Allentown Fair opens tonite at 5 PM

with a free preview night.

Of course you know who's there, Little Richard's Finest of Foods.

Check out the video below from 2006.

Click on post title to go there!

MD State Fair Photos

Got these photos from TV Channel 2 in Baltimore.

The top picture shows part of the midway with what looks like a fine crowd.

The second picture happens to be part of the midway food stands.

And just by coincidence, really!, is Little Richard's Corn on the Cob Stand and right begind it is the Cafeteria.

Flash Is Cash!

Here's an e-mail I received this morning from Mike Naughton:

The Toy Palace at Yankee Doodle Circus, "The Happiest Show in the Whole-Wide World".
We put this big stand up on the big weekends; this field house hold 2200 and we do three shows on Saturday; been there for years. It takes 5 people to work this stand, two in front of each pair of trees, two on the counter and one making stock.
Prices range from $5. to $20. Guess which two brothers taught me how to run a novelty stand?
More to follow.

Mike NaughtonYANKEE DOODLE CIRCUS

Thanks Mike!

Water Painting

Water Painting

I thought I'd share this with my readers. My friend Terry Leutner sent this to me this morning
and it is pretty neat. Terry lives in Carey, NC and we went to school together in Salisbury.

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Sunday Morning Mirth! #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDSW-ybm0mg

Sunday Morning Mirth! #2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfIoKTTZuUo&NR=1

Douglas Macvalley--Globe of Death

Just heard fron an old friend.

Douglas Macvalley who Bill and I met when he had his globe with Little Richard's carnival.

Bill was with him when he was signed to a contract with Irvin Feld to appear on Ringling Bros.

His act was there for a few years now he lives in Las Vegas and the act appears at venues there and around the world!

Bangor Maine Shrine Circus-2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVGgobOoyC8&feature=related