ALLENTOW FAIR-1899

ALLENTOWN, PA FAIR-1964

HOXIE BROS CIRCUS-1978

Boas Bros Circus--1968

Actually Circus Kirk's Southern tour in 1968.

BLOOMSBURG FAIR PREVIEW DAY (WNEP-TV)

Bloomsburg Fair Preview Day Friday, September 21, 3:55 p.m.By Scott Schaffer
The wait is over! The largest fair in Pennsylvania is set to open its gates Saturday in Bloomsburg.
It's the Bloomsburg Fair like you've never seen it. Friday was preview day, with plenty of room to roam, no lines at the food stands and one big ham bone in Ed Campbell's soup. Although he shares a name with a very famous soup maker, this Campbell's been making soup at the Bloomsburg Fair for 46 years. For him, preview day is more than just a warm up before the fair opens for real.
"See all the new things, appreciate some of the old. Reacquaint themselves with people they haven't seen in the past year. It's relationships," Campbell said.
Admission is free on preview day. Just a few of the vendors are open.Ralph Page of Bloomsburg came for three specific reasons. "Sun, lunch and a walk," he said.
Ralph got plenty of all three, complete with a sausage sandwich for his mid-day meal.
John and Dorothy Wengrzynek of Dorrance said preview day will be their only day at the fair.
"You know why? Because there's too many people. I don't like crowds. I live in the country in Dorrance. That's where I like to stay," John Wengrzynek said.
Vendors like Paul Kane use preview day to work out the kinks and get ready for the weekend crowds.
"This light's giving me a difficult time. Thing is. It's brand new. I just bought it, so it should work, but it's not," Kane said.
Back at the Iron Kettle Soup Stand, Ed Campbell can relate to Kane's unexpected, last minute hurdles.
"I forgot a number of things. After 46 years of coming here I still can't get everything down here I need!" Campbell said, laughing.
The Bloomsburg Fair runs through Saturday, September 29.

Display Ads (Fred Hoffman)

Tlaxcala, Mexico State Fair Food Items (Bobby Cox)

Dick... these are some things they sell at the Tlaxcala State Fair (food items) that are popular... Bunuelo stand... a sort of a crispy fried elephant ear ...they put syrup or honey on it.($1 dollar).Churro stand...churros look like a stick shaped doughnut...sometimes they have centers filled with chocolate or vanilla cream.(about 4 for a dollar)Also they had baked plantains (bananas) with cream & sugar ($1 dollar)Arabian Tacos... my favorite.. looks like a gyro..but they serve it on a thick flour tortilla and smother it with chipotle chili sauce.. (about $1.25). oh yeh! its hot for a gringo...but I've built up a resistance. If the U.S. Health Dept would allow it ...it would be one hell of a joint.Arabian Tacos got started around this area about 60 years ago...theres a large Lebanese population...they've been here since early 1900's...they've been Mexicanized. Take Care...(or as my buddy Jack the Ripper sez... take it anyway you can get it!!!...Bob

BLOOMSBURG FAIR OPENS TONIGHT!

PROBLEMS?

I don't know what's going on with Blogger this morning.

I must apologize for the posts being out of sink.

I guess they're having some kind of problem since other blogs were having trouble last night.

Be sure and read Showbiz David's reveiw of Carson and Barnes in San Francisco.

FUN CITY SHOWS-'78 & '79

Fun City Shows was owned and operated by Dave Robb, from Buffalo, NY

Bill and I played spots with him in 1978 & 1979.

We had our Giant Spider Show and Glass House plus the Novelties.

The captions under most of these pictures were written by Bill.

Bill and I also ocassionally did Billposting for the show.

REITHOFFER SHOWS-ROCK HILL, SC FAIR

And of course the Dykes Bros were there!

REITHOFFER SHOWS-ROCK HILL,SC FAIR

This Gentleman was known as Rembrandt, he was the shown painter.

Back then Reithoffer had the first "Slient Generators" on Carnivals

FUN CITY SHOWS-'78 & '79

Just about all the artwork, and even the merry-go-round horses were painted by Dennis Gilley

Notice the "Roger Boyd" style scroll work.

FUN CITY SHOWS-'78 & '79

BIG E-SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

http://www.wwlp.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?vt1=v&clipFormat=flv&clipId1=2910352&at1=News&h1=The Big E gets underway

DICK & AND BILL'S RACE HORSES!

When Bill and I owned our drive-in restaraunt in Salisbury, back in the late 60's to early 70's,

we owned a harness horse stable along with our Dad.

He's the one standing just behind the driver, second from the right.

And in the second picture he's right in back of the horses number.

BIKE WEEK-OCEAN CITY, MD & SALISBURY, MD 2008

Notice the Motordrome.

These used to be prevalant around carnivals.

But now there's only a few left around.

These Guys evidently play a lot of bike shows around the country.

It's got to be a ready made audience!
These pictures were from the Daily Times in Salisbury.

The Bike Show was last week. In the top picture notice all the bikes parked over on the left of the picture! WOW!

DICK WORKING

I found this last night while going through some pictures.

I thinlk it was probably in the early 80's but not sure where.

The one thing that makes me think this is the sign on the Helium Tank.

Your Name on the Silver Balloon.

It used to say FREE but certain folks thought it meant a free balloon, so we had to change it!

Also notice the barrel out in front, we always had a 1.00 barrel back in those days!

I guess now it's have to be the 2.00 barrel.

LEBEL FAMILY CIRCUS

These two shots were taken in the first years of Tommy Lebels Circus.

I'm not sure where Bill took them but we met the Lebels in Charlotte,NC.

We wound up booking them into the Valdosta Fair, which they played, along with some other Little Richard Fairs, for quite a few years.
I beleive this was in the early 80's.

CIRCUS SUNRISE-ADVERTISEMENT

CARTOON OF THE DAY

NEW BLOG

You may have not noticed yet but there's a new blog listed at the bottom of of the blog links list.

It's written by a member of a fourth generation circus family, Ivan Henry.

It's a great blog and I recommend you check it out and add it to your blog list.

www.thecircusblog.com

KNOXVILLE FAIR (Bobby Cox)

Bobby Cox and Jimmy Devine, Jr's Floss and Popcorn at the Knoxville Fair.

BOBBY COX PHOTOS-TEXAS STATE FAIR

Boy! Remember the stand where they sewed your name on the Hat?

Bobby's stand at the Texas State Fair, right next to "Big Tex)
Ballon Joint featuring Smurf and ET inflates.
Again Texas State Fair, Dallas, right next to Big Tex.
Had to be a GREAT Location!

BEN DAVENPORT (Bobby Cox)

Famous Circus owner Ben Davenport carrying a baby elephant!

I beleive this had to be around 1950.

THE EASTWOOD FAMILY-(Bobby Cox)

Wally, Chona and Howard.

Wally's now a headliner in Las Vegas.

Chona was a great trapeze star.

Howard did a gorilla act and assisted Chona.

Sorry but I lost Bobby's notes and can't date this one.

DICK'S FIRST AGE & WEIGHT STAND

Sorry for the poor picture quality but it's a polaroid shot.

I sure wish it was sharper. That's Johnny Walker standing next to his popcorn wagon.

Alice was inside.

As I recall this picture was taken at a Catholic Church Feast in upstate NY.

We were booked with Bartosik Bros Rides out of Ansterdam, NY

Also there was Johnny Walker with his Popcorn.

I beleive the year was around 1980.

DYKES BROS BACK END PEICES

ROYAL WILD WEST CIRCUS 1970 (Fred Hoffman)

Royal Ranch Circus was owned by Ozzie Schleentz and family out of Colts Neck, NJ.

It was a beautifully framed show.

As you can see the equipment was all painted and themed.

Ozzie was a sign painter by trade.

These were taken in Southeastern PA.

ROYAL WILD WEST CIRCUS 1970 (Fred Hoffman)

ROYAL WILD WEST CIRCUS 1970 (Fred Hoffman)

FISHER BROS-1977 From Fred Hoffman

I beleive this Fisher Bros was a Hoxie Show.

I stand to be corrected if I'm wrong.

The Silverlake Family used the title for a while.

The pictures are from Southeastern PA.

Thanks Fred!

FISHER BROS-1977

Unbelivable!

But I have seen this before.

Those are bears on tied out! and no fence around them.

You'd never see that nowadays.