Category: State Fair

They are a family owned business based out of Rochester, New York. With their mobile food concessionary stand they travel select seasonal events. They brought the original Pennsylvania Dutch recipe for Funnel Cakes to the Central New York area over 30 years ago. With their motto “You haven’t had fried dough until you try Nancy’s!” You just know they’re serving something special. Chris Bagnato spoke to us about his business. Q – Chris, I guess the obvious question is, who is Nancy? Why is the business called Nancy’s fried dough?…

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In 1958, when he was just a teenager, John Leggett went to work for the legendary carnival owner James E. Strates. While he didn’t work for the Strates Shows all that long, his memory of that time has lasted a lifetime. And so, we talked to John Leggett about that moment in time. Q – John, would I be correct in saying that you met James E Strates? A – Well, I never actually met James E. Strates. The guy in the memoir piece, I wrote, being 13 years old,…

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Matthew Barr has put together a fascinating look at what goes on behind the scenes at the only Carnival that still travels by rail-the James E Strates Shows. He actually lived on the train and traveled the Strates itinerary interviewing not only the Strates family but the carneys themselves. Q – How did you get interested in putting “Carnival Train” together? A – Well basically, how I ended up doing this documentary about the Strates Shows was years ago, back in California where I grew up when I was finishing…

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(Author of ” Pickled Punks and Girlie Shows: A Life Spent on the Midway’s of America – Schiffer Books) Rick West knows a thing or two about midways. You see, he spent his whole life traveling the carnival circuit. And now he’s written a book detailing that adventure. It’s called “Pickled Punks and Girlie Shows: A Life Spent on the Midway’s of America”. By the way, pickled punks is carnival lingo for bottled babies. Just thought you’d like to know that. It all makes sense when you read the book.…

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Chip Wilson worked as a Paymaster for the only carnival moving by train-the James E Strates Shows. He then went to work as one of those guys who guesses your age and weight for The Murphy Brothers. We talked to Chip Wilson about his experiences with the James E Strates Shows and The Murphy Brothers and the state of the carnival business in America today. Q – Chip, you told Matt Cook’s Carnival Warehouse Newsletter that the Strates train no longer pulls coaches. Why would that be? The coaches provide…

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If you’ve ever strolled along the Midway of the James E. Strates Shows, no doubt you’ve taken notice of all the games there are to play. One such game is the Gun Ball Game. Standing in front of the game, inviting you to try your luck is – Dean. We caught up with Dean, along the James E. Strates Midway, on the grounds of the New York State Fair in Syracuse, New York. Q – Dean, how long have you been with the Strates Shows? A – Four years. Q…

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Along the Midway at the New York State Fair, James E. Strates operates a stand called “Hit The Red”. A guy, with clown make-up invites passerby’s, well, I should say, insults passerby’s to dunk him in the water. $2.00 gets you 5 balls to try your luck. “Patches” has been a bloke (his word for what he does) for 9 years now, and this is his last year. “Patches” talked with us about his job at James E. Strates, during this year’s run (2009) of the New York State Fair.…

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Along the midway, at the New York State Fair, James E. Strates operates a stand called “Hit The Red.” A guy, with clown face make-up invites passerby’s, well, I should say insults passerby’s, to dunk him in the water. $2.00 gets you five balls to try your luck. “Chewy The Water Clown or “Little Matt” as he’s known to the Strates people, sits on that bench, with a non-stop patter, just waiting for someone to dunk him in the water. “Chewy” talked with us about his job for James E.…

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