The makeshift pieces of equipment bought hurriedly at war-inflated prices were soon replaced and modernized. By the end of the season, the Strates Shows had grown immensely. The business is going to have to reach out and invest in worthwhile shows," said Strates. He put this theory to work when he featured a number of new shows, including one of the great burlesque shows that were so popular in that time. Georgia Southern, one of the nation's top burlesque performers and the star of many Broadway hits, performed a daily revue called "A Night on Broadway".
Strates received top industry recognition when he was elected president of the National Showmen's Association. He was also a key figure in the American Carnival Association and supporter of its public relations activities.
At this point, the James E. Strates Shows was the fourth largest carnival midway in the nation. Strates Shows relocated its Winter Quarters from a fairground in Deland, Florida where it had wintered for two years, to a acre lot in Taft, on the south border of Orlando, Florida, where it remains today. To accommodate the great show train, over a mile of railroad siding was laid and is still in use today for America's only remaining railroad carnival.
James, son of founder James E. October 11, James E. Strates had the opportunity to meet his sister, Ms. Vasilike Elizabeth Strates Theodoropoulos, for the first time. Elizabeth was born in Greece just after Mr. Strates arrived in America in Strates helped bring three of her seven children to America and they, in turn, later brought their mother. The carnivals of yesteryear had an array of attractions on the midway, including the Viking Giant 8 feet, 8 inches tall , the four-abreast Ferris wheel, the Two-Ton-Hippopotamus, and the Wild Animal Menagerie comprised of elephants, camels, zebras, lions, bears and a brahma bull.
For over 40 years, James E. Strates worked to realize his dream of owning one of the finest carnivals in America. He started his fair and midway career as Young Strangler Lewis, a professional wrestler in an Athletic Show. Strates eventually decided to make carnival business his career. Due to Strates strength and devotion, his carnival was able to grow and prosper over the years.
Even when tragedy and turmoil struck the Strates Shows, it continued to thrive. Strates Shows became an acknowledged industry leader and its founder, James E. Strates, was admired and respected by those in the carnival business as well as others who knew him.
Tragedy befalls the James E. Strates suffered a stroke in his office on the fairgrounds. Curtis Finch, manager of the fair at that time, was the first to arrive at the trailer and discover Mr. While en route to Danville Memorial Hospital, Mr. Strates slipped into a coma and never recovered. On Sunday, October 11, at a. Strates passed away. The funeral was described by police as the largest that city had ever seen. During the service, State Supreme Court Justice Hunter Parker told of a firm friendhsip the two had had for more than thirty years.
On Thursday, October 15, Mr. At many of our fairs, Dreamland Amusements does an extensive landscaping package. For advertising, we market our events through cable TV, radio, coupon distribution, as well as a custom mailer designed just for our demographics. After our event has come to its end, our staff does a thorough cleanup of the grounds, leaving them as we found them. Our work with state and county fairs is longstanding.
For over thirty years, we have been in the amusement business—first as owners of Silver Dollar Shows, and now as owners of Dreamland Amusements. We can point with pride in helping to establish the Suffolk County Fair in New York—the largest traveling fair of its kind in the northeast.
Carnival owners and operators claim they are safer than fixed site amusement parks because of the regular assembly and disassembly of the ride and the constant inspection. One issue that remains and is seldom addressed is that when carnivals assemble and disassemble the rides, it is often done by unskilled laborers who are frequently turned-over.
Many times temporary day laborers are employed and since they do not travel with the carnival, they have very little training, and do not possess a level of expertise as employees of fixed park amusements. Typically, the assembly and disassembly is guided by a foreman who travels with the show and directs temporary local workers or laborers. Many times there is little regulation other than the laborers are given a 15 to 20 minute spiel.
Many carnivals hire people from foreign countries on a part-time basis with minimal education or lack of understanding the English language and there are often communication issues that arise if there is a problem.
In some states, where the regulations are stricter than others, inspectors may inspect each setup or delegate a daily inspection to the owner and operator. However, if no one is supervising or checking the owner or operator, there are really no sites checks and balances.
Interestingly enough further background investigation revealed that the national trade group was founded by the President of the same carnival. In at least 6 states in America, the laws and regulations are relatively silent with regard to safety regulations.
Montana regulations state that the Legislature finds that:. Basically, these regulations seem to assert the position that if injured on an amusement ride, the victim assumes the risk and that he or she has recognized the dangers inherent in the activity.
The powerful work ethic it took to build a successful carnival business, Brinkley says was seeded by her grandfather McBride. She says her employees take distinct pride in what they do—and she laments her inability to compensate them accordingly.
To most people, the life of a carnival worker is one that seems shrouded in mystery. While fairgoers are drawn to the lights of the midway, they are not equally drawn to the people who work in the shadows but instead often see them in a negative light, labeling them as dirty, untrustworthy, or even criminal.
Brinkley says that such inaccurate stereotypes stigmatize the workers and open them up to discrimination from those around them. Some discriminate with comments, while others just tend to avoid the carnival workers, not wanting to associate with them. Brinkley is devoted to her adopted carnie family.
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