State Fair

Michael Hilby (The Skinny German Juggling Boy) He’s been described as “Poetry in Motion” and a man who turns heads with his unicycle performance and jaw dropping juggling skills. He is – Michael Hilby, The Skinny German Juggling Boy. Q – You were at the New York State Fair this Summer (2012). Do you typically perform at Fairs? A – Well, I do quite a few Fairs. I do about 60 days a year at Fairs and you won’t see an act like mine at Fairs. That said, there’s 4,800…...

Hard times are hitting the carnival business. After 80 years in business Davis Amusement Cascadia called it quits on January 1st 2020. 80 years!! What went into that decision? That’s what we wanted to find out. We spoke with Michael Davis, C.E.O. of Davis Amusement Cascadia. Q – Michael I am glad we are talking today. What I’ve found in the past is people in the carnival business are often times reluctant to talk. A – (Laughs). We all tend to be kind of clannish I guess. They keep everything…...

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…...

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.…...

Kyle Hafemann is the youngest person ever to start in New York Farm Winery. Opened in 2007, it produces over 7000 gallons of 13 different varieties of wine. The winery we are talking about is called Otter Creek Winery which takes its name from the creek it overlooks. Fresh off a stint at the 2022 New York State Fair, we spoke with Otter Creek Winery owner Kyle Hafemann. Q – There is one thing I noticed about the Fair this year Kyle-you’ve got a lot of competition. There seems to…...

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,…...