Fair Time
Friday, July 27, 2007
Gleaming entranceway arches, paved roads, improved plumbing and “The Ring of Fire” Midway ride are new features this year at the Lyon County Fairgrounds.
The new steel entranceways, one of which is covered with green tin, stand at two of the fairgrounds’ entrances.
Shane Mast of Mast Engineering, the company that built the arches, installed them with the help of the Lyon County Fair Board. The entrances, an idea from former fairground board president Chris Phillips, were installed Tuesday night and took about four hours to install, Mast said.
“We were a little delayed because of the rain,” he said.
The structures will be finished with hanging letters that say “Lyon County Fairgrounds” and the remaining tin will be put on the other arch. Low-maintance ornamental grass will be planted around the entrances.
“We hope that everybody likes them,” Mast said. “We’ve had a lot of good compliments already. We really appreciate it.”
Mast said some of the money from the fairgrounds’ building fund paid for the upgrades.
“We’re trying to make improvements,” he said. “We want to let people know that we are trying.”
About $40,000 was spent on paving the roads. The hog barns were re-plumbed, a roof was put over the beef wash rack and some older buildings were painted.
“We hope there’s a lot more improvements,” Mast said. “We’re not done yet.”
Mast said as more money comes in more improvements will be made. They will have a booth where people can donate money to the fairgrounds’ building fund. It will be on the south side of the Anderson Building right across from the funnel cakes.
Over at the Midway on Thursday night, the carnival was hopping. Despite the heat, the carnival was packed and “The Ring of Fire” had a line that snaked behind it. People were anxious to test the new ride.
Peggy Evans, one of the owners of Evans Midland Empire Shows out of Lathrop, Mo., said Thursday afternoon that “Ring of Fire” was purchased to replace the “Tomahawk.”
“It’s a roller coaster loop,” Evans said. “It goes forward and backward and stops at the top and hangs the riders upside down. We wanted a thrill ride.”
The loop is 60 feet tall, Evans said. The carnival purchased the ride this year.
“It’s really done well,” Evans said. “People have liked it wherever we’ve gone.”
Eunice Velazquez, 8, bounded out of her seat after her ride.
“It was like the ‘Tomahawk,’” Eunice said. “I like both.”
Noel Bedolla, 13, said when he was upside down, the approximately nine seconds seemed like a long time.
“It was fun,” Noel said.
Riders could be heard screaming in delight and, of course, some screamed in fear.
Many people on the ground shook their heads as if saying “no way.” A group of youths got off the ride and hi-fived each other, laughing and exclaiming they wanted to go on it again.
Missy Lasswell, 12, and her friends stopped long enough to talk about the ride before rushing to get on it again.
“It was scary but fun,” Missy said, with a smile. “I felt like I was going to fall out.”
Judy Velazquez, 12, also said it felt like she was going to fall out, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying the thrill of the ride.
“I want to go on it again,” Judy said.
When asked if the new ride was as good as its predecessor, the “Tomahawk,” she answered no.
“I think it’s better than the ‘Tomahawk!’” she exclaimed as she rushed off with her friends to ride it again.
The carnival also made another change this year — it added more wristband nights. The next wristband nights will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, Evans said. Each wristband, which allows unlimited rides, is $18.
“They were just so popular,” Evans said.