Fair features new midway

There’ll be a new touch to the Jay County Fair this year: a new midway.
Maple Leaf Amusements, based out of Breckenridge, Michigan, is taking over the duties from Family Attractions Amusement Company.
The change comes after Family Attractions changed its route for this summer, which would have forced the fair to be held in June, said Jay County Fair Board president Rob Weaver.
Weaver said that moving the event up wouldn’t have been fair to the 4-H events.
He added that the combined 4-H and entertainment events create the “best fair we have.”
The fair board was so committed to keeping the two together that Weaver said the board agreed to this year’s fair dates without a midway.
There was some risk in that decision.
“Midways are few and far between,” said Weaver.
He noted that with the plethora of Indiana county fairs in July and economic hardships making it difficult for midway companies to stay afloat, finding one can be difficult.
But that wasn’t an issue, as it was the departing Family Attractions that put Maple Leaf in touch in the fair board.
Weaver explained the two companies crossed paths in Tennessee, where Family Attractions made Maple Leaf aware of the open gig.
Maple Leaf’s midway will include 18 rides and four food stations.
When asked what rides draw the biggest line, co-owner John Fitzgerald initially mentioned The Himalaya.
The sleigh ride will take it voyagers up and down the mountain, cruise through the countryside while cooling off on the Himalaya.
“It’s a classic carnival ride,” Fitzgerald said.
Weaver also highlighted the Himalaya when asked about the rides at this year’s fair.
“We haven’t had a Himalaya for quite some time,” Weaver said.
Another popular ride Fitzgerlad mentioned was the Startrooper, a thriller that takes its riders “way in the air and spins them around.”
In addition, Maple Leaf will debut a new 70-foot Festival Wheel at the fair. The new ride is being shipped straight from the manufacturer in Maryland to Jay County.
The midway will also include fair staples such an inflatable bounce house, racecars and a fun slide.
Maple Leaf’s food stations include a cotton candy wagon, lemonade stand, sausage and an elephant ear trailers. Weaver said those will provide a “nice mix of local and midway vendors” at the fair.
Weaver said the new midway should be similar to those experienced by past fairgoers.
Fitzgerald described his company’s midway as similar to others.
“We are just a regular little carnival,” he said.
The company puts on 26 events per year, during a schedule that runs from April to October.
“We are up and coming. We are growing,” he said.
As for the fair, Fitzgerald said the company is excited to bring its midway to town.
“We are excited to get there. We can’t wait to get there. “
For scheduling reasons, there will be no rides at the fair today. The midway opens 1 p.m. Tuesday for kids’ day.