Former Delaware State Fair President, William M. Chambers, Jr., passed away on November 19, 2011 at the age of 76. Mr. Chambers was a lifelong resident of lower Delaware and was president of the fair from 1988 until 1996. He was a member of the Delaware State Fair Board of Directors prior to his presidency beginning in 1966. Services for Mr. Chambers were held on the Delaware State Fairgrounds.

The Georgia State Fair has been sold to Universal Fairs, a Tennessee-based firm. The fair was owned by the Exchange Club of Macon since 1942. The sales price of the fair was not disclosed. Prior to the sale, the Exchange Club of Macon had voted to cancel the 2012 edition due to economic restraints. That decision may be reversed under the new ownership. Mark Lovell is the President of Universal Fairs. Amusements of America is the midway provider for the Georgia State Fair. The event was held April 30 – May 8 in 2011.

The Arizona State Fair in Phoenix marked record-breaking attendance in 2011. More than 1,077,000 fairgoers attended the three-week event from October 14 through November 6. Ray Cammack Shows provided the midway. The 2012 edition of the Arizona State Fair is slated for October 12 through November 4.

Butler Amusements has extended their contract by two years at the Southwest Washington Fair. The Southwest Washington Fair was founded in 1909 and takes place mid-August in Chehalis, WA. The average attendance is 95,000 every year.

The State Fair of Virginia Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but intends to continue normal operations throughout the process. “This is just something we’re trying to go through to put ourselves on more stable financial footing,” State Fair of Virginia CEO, Curry Roberts, told the Richmond BizSense. Financial troubles stem from the Fair’s move to Meadow Event Park that required an $83 million loan from a group of fifteen lenders. The fair saw a rise in attendance in 2011, but the organization’s portfolio of investments makes bankruptcy the best option. Deggeller Attractions provides the midway for the State Fair of Virginia. Dates for 2011 were September 29 through October 9, opening six days later than 2010 in order to encompass the eve of Columbus Day. The fair attracted 268,930 visitors, which is the highest attendance on record since moving to the Meadow Event Park three years ago. The number also marks the second largest attendance in the events history since 1998. The event was founded in 1854. The 2012 State Fair will run from September 27 – October 7.

The Wisconsin State Fair won 24 awards at the 2011 International Fairs and Exposition Convention in Las Vegas, NV. Among the first place awards received by the organization were Best Ad Campaign, Best Newspaper Ad, Point of Purchase Display, Printed Promotional Material, and Media Guide categories. “Bringing this many awards to Wisconsin is invigorating when we are in the midst of planning for 2012,” said Rick Frenette, CEO of State Fair Park. The fair is transitioning to an independent midway in 2012. Fair dates are set for August 2 – 12.

The Steele County Free Fair of Owatonna, Minnesota has selected Gold Star Amusements as their 2012 midway provider. Merriam’s Midway Shows provided the fair’s midway for the past 18 years. Gold Star Amusements will provide 32 to 40 rides including spectaculars that have never appeared at the Steele County Fair. A Power Surge, Remix II, Century Wheel, and Musik Express are among some of Gold Star’s rides. The carnival is based in Minneapolis, MN. “We are convinced that Gold Star Amusements is the answer to where we want to see the Steele County Free Fair be in the years to come,” says Corky Ebeling, President of the Board of Directors for the fair. Traditional ride specials such as the mega-ride ticket will still be available in 2012. Dates for this year’s event are August 14 – 19.

Michigan State University’s undergraduate student government (ASMU) has begun a campaign to bring back the Michigan State Fair. The group passed a resolution in November supporting the project, which would possibly utilize school property for the fair. Bringing back the fair would require either private funding or state funding. The Michigan State Fair was held in Detroit from 1905 until 2009; there was no State Fair in 2010 or 2011.

Billy and Sue Clark of Smoky Mountain Amusements celebrated their 50^th anniversary in Brooksville, Florida on November 20, 2011. A party was held in honor of the couple. See a photo in Direct from the Lots of Billy and Sue at the event.

Bob DeStefano’s Dreamland Amusements recently purchased a new A.R.M. Vertigo. The new attraction will arrive this spring. Dreamland has also acquired a Sellner Anchors Away. It was the only unit ever built by Sellner. On the Dreamland midway this year was a new one-truck Wisdom Himalaya.

Bill Hall has purchased his eighth band organ and is waiting for it to arrive so he can begin its restoration. The organ was originally owned by the Wade family and first appeared on the Wade Shows midway in 1923. It accompanied the show’s carousel for many years. This will be the first American-made organ in his collection. It is a Wurlitzer 153 and will be arriving from Michigan.

Congratulations to the Deggeller family who welcomed their newest edition, Griffin Andrew Elsperman this fall. Carnival Magazine spoke with Griffin’s grandfather, show owner Don Deggeller just a short while before meeting his one month old grandson for the first time. He and Kathy were on the road when their daughter, Heidi gave birth to Griffin and were not able to see him right away. Both Heidi and her husband, Cliff are excited to be parents. Griffin joins the family after a positive year according to Don. “The season was great,” reports Don. “The bad weather hit at the right times so we had great weekends throughout the season.” A refurbished Wisdom Aladdin joined the Deggeller midway this year. After receiving a wrap from Amusement Wraps and a new paint scheme from Jeff Deggeller, the ride was re-introduced as the Rockin’ Out.

The 152^nd Mississippi State Fair recorded 694,892 fairgoers this year. The number surpasses last year’s attendance record by over 20,000 people. The Mississippi State Fair is held in Jackson and ran from October 5 through 16. North American Midway Entertainment provided the midway with more than 60 rides on hand.

N.A.M.E. also provided the midway for the South Carolina State Fair in Columbia from October 12 through 23. They premiered their new Fast Pass ticketing option at the event. The Fast Pass offered fairgoers the option of purchasing an express ticket for rides. Those wearing Fast Pass lanyards were able to bypass long lines via designated ride entrances. Careful monitoring of Fast Pass sales by N.A.M.E. ensured that the system worked. The system received positive feedback from fair officials and guests and N.A.M.E. itself was pleased with the results. Despite several days of rain and wind, attendance at the South Carolina State Fair still reached 442,494. Gross from food concessions was down just 1% from 2010 at $3,687,262 and ride gross was $3,170,979, down only 2% from 2010. This was the 142^nd edition of the fair. The midway was comprised of over 70 rides. A full report on N.A.M.E. at the SC State Fair and the Big E coming next month.

Reithoffer Shows’ provided the midway at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, GA from October 6 through 16. Appearing at the fair for the first time was Reithoffer Shows’ new Technical Park Loop Fighter 360 themed Stinger. The ride is the first and only in the United States and was delivered this year. Also new were kiddie rides: Hot Wheels, Toy Box, Flying Tigers, and a Circus Train. Attendance reached 439,931—a positive number even with wet weather during the fair’s run. This was the 22^nd annual Georgia National Fair. Next year’s event will take place from October 4 through 14.

Peter Theunisz of KMG Rides reports that McDonagh Amusements has purchased a new attraction entitled the Stratosphere. It is the tallest transportable chain swing ever made, reaching 214-feet in the air. The ride will be shipped in early November and arrive stateside in December. Also from KMG, the newly developed attraction, XLR8 has completed its first test runs with great success. The one-trailer next received additional artwork and LED lighting and was on track for full-operation in November 2011. KMG’s next thrill—set for 2012—is the Sicko. The attraction is a swing ride with motorized seats. The first Sicko has already been sold to a buyer in France. Read more about these new pieces in the New Products section of this issue.

In other recent KMG news, Poor Jack Amusements will collect their brand new Freak Out at the 2012 IISF Trade Show in Gibtown. Also the new KMG Speed, owned by Larry Sankowsky’s Armco, Inc. is slated for display at the IISF Trade Show.

The State Fair of Texas celebrated its 125^th anniversary in 2011. The fair took place in Dallas from September 30 through October 23. Preliminary estimates indicate that it was a positive year with over $35 million gross in rides and food concessions. Midway rides were provided by various operators on the independent midway. For the first time in the fair's history was an exhibit entitled Greenhouse on the Midway. The exhibit featured plenty of greenery as well as cooling mist stations and an electric light show that began every fifteen minutes nightly.

The Tulsa State Fair saw a rise in attendance for the second consecutive year. The event ran from September 29 through October 2. Estimates indicate that 1,123,000 attendees visited the fair, up 2% from last year. Gross from midway rides were also up this year, earning 18% more than 2010. Murphy Brothers Exposition provided the midway, which included the Comet II Roller Coaster, the Spin Out, and the Maxx.

The North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh saw attendance surpass the million-mark for a second year. Attendance this year reached 1,009,173. The fair took place October 13 through October 23 with midway provided by Powers Great American Midways. PGAM will return to Raleigh for a New Year’s Eve event. They will supply their Mulligan Wheel for the New Year’s celebration. Read more about PGAM’S 2011 season in next month’s issue.

The San Diego County Fair has announced their 2012 dates and theme. The event will run from Friday, June 8 through Wednesday, July 4 with Mondays closed except for July 2. The theme is Universe Invited and mix science-fiction fun with space exploration education. For more information, visit www.sdfair.com.

Congratulations to the OABA 2012 Show Rep Contest Winners. In first place was Debbie Powers of Powers Great American Midways followed by Alicia Eskes of West Coast Amusements in second and Katherine (KT) de Swadt of a Fantasy Amusement Co. in third.

From IAAPA , the board of directors has elected Gerardo Arteaga as Third Vice Chairman. Arteaga is the General Manager of Fantasilandia in Santiago, Chile. He will move through the positions of third, second and first vice chairman and then lead the association as Chairman of the Board in 2015. Arteaga grew up in the attractions industry. His family built Santiago’s Fantasilandia Amusement Park in 1978.

Artist and Moore College or Art & Design Alumni, Jane Walentas, received the 2011 Moore Visionary Woman Award. Her featured work includes a major restoration of a 1922 Carousel manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The ride is now a New York landmark residing in Dumbo’s Brooklyn Bridge Park. It was the first Carousel to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In conjunction with the award presented to Jane Walentas, an exhibition of her work is on display at the Levy Gallery for the Arts in Philadelphia, PA through December 10. The exhibition traces the carousel’s extraordinary journey from auction block to its permanent home. This journey is depicted through video and photography. Find out more at www.thegalleriesatmoore.org.