Dipping Into The Sugar Of The Quintessential Fair Cookie Jar
The last night on the Midway slowed down to a trickle, with cloudy skies, the threat of storms, and a vendors looking for last chance customers. Brian, of St. Paul, played the rollerball game again and again, hoping to add to his cache of winnings for his waiting child – or his inner child. He was in the middle of his last try when the ferris wheel lights went dark; the understood sign to all employees that the Midway is closed. The music stopped, there was a silent beat – and then I heard engines starting up somewhere behind me in the dark. I had been warned to stay alert and out of the way, as the huge trailer trucks began squeezing into the spaces between concessions and rides. On went the hard hats and the safety shirts, as the staff who had already worked a long day shifted into high gear and worked through the early morning hours, their demolition ironically lit by the pulsating, still-breathing lights of their own rides. Boxes full of customer tickets were rushed to the back of the Midway for redemption:the ferris wheel medallion was removed. The workers moved fast; at least one ride needed to be ready for the opening of a Fair in Oklahoma in two days.
Bittersweet, I sighed, as I watched two tired workers steal a moment and dig into the sugar of the quintessential Fair cookie jar.
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- For His Waiting Child, And His Inner Child
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- Game Not On
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- Ferris Wheel Lights Off Means Midway Closed
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- Redemption
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- Big Ride For A Big Ride
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- …if one of those bottles should happen to fall…
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- Benched
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- The Lowering Of The Medallion
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- Night Light
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- Degreasing
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- Just Because They’re Pretty
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- The Quintessential Fair Cookie Jar
Good News Comes In Threes
Three very nice things happened yesterday. I got a call from the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibit telling me that someone (thank you, dear someone) purchased my “Pinky Toes” piece; my Nuns photos was in the Mpls Star Tribune viewer photos (thanks, Eileen Schiebe Chanen for alerting me to submit), and a Midway Fair worker gave me a stuffed Stewie as a thanks for taking his photo and emailing it to him (which I would have done anyway.) He then wished me a great year. I held my Stewie on the bus ride home like he was the best gift ever. And I noticed every other adult was doing the same with their stuffies. :)
The Mad Hatters, The Mounted Patrol, and The Misters
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- The Mad Hatters
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- The Mounted Patrol
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- The Chill Misters
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- Not Quite
The Bulbs Of The Beetle Bobs
Jazzmine and James, both of Dallas, Texas, were surrounded by blue and white bulbs. Hundreds of them. More than Jazzmine and I could count. She was on task, and I couldn’t do the math. It was two days before the opening of the Fair, and they were in sync repeating the tedious job of setting up “The Beetle Bobs” on the Kidway. Over and over they unpacked and gently set into place the “sweeps” – the long beams that light up the spokes of the ride.
Each sweep – and there are 17 of them – needed to have every light inspected, and there are 16 lights on each sweep. Often the internal circuitry in the light needed to be replaced, which required an eternity of patience and fine finger dexterity. “It’s mostly water that makes them go bad,” said James.
Neither James nor Jazzmen spoke much. They just keep moving onto the next sweep, and the next bulb. They had already hung all the overhead lights. Again, I wanted to know how many bulbs were on the Beetle Bob? They didn’t know. Perhaps it was too discouraging to know. I swore I would never curse a single blown lightbulb in my house again.
James was all about getting this ride set up and had a rhythm going loading the sweeps; I felt like I was interrupting to ask for their emails so I could send them photos. Jazzmine gave me hers right away; James seemed to ignore my request and kept working, which I took to mean he didn’t have an email account. Then, uncharacteristically, he stopped loading the sweeps and disappeared for a bit. He returned with a torn piece of corrugated cardboard on which he had written his email: JEW3333 and a host account.
Because I’m Jewish, and this man was of very dark skin color which usually does not mean Jewish, at least in this country, I had to ask the man of few words: “Why JEW – in all caps?”
“Those are my initials.”
I laughed; gave him my card so he could see this story; watched as he put the card in his mouth (the same storage space he uses for lightbulbs); and let James and Jazzmine continue loading the sweeps and fixing the bulbs on the Beetle Bobs – because soon enough they’d be working with an even larger number of small things.
Our Great Midway!
Let’s spend a moment in our happy place.
This iconic Midway image was brought to you by short little me getting higher than my little legs like to go!
Available as a print on archival metallic paper, so you can be happy all year ’round.
Portraits Of William
When I first saw William, I thought he had been hit by a truck.
He was being smart, the kind of smart that comes from years of Midway experience. He and his co-workers knew to rest in the shade of the trucks until the ‘boss comes and we can set this ride up. It’ll be up in about 2 hours,” he said with pride. William is originally from 1900 family acres in Montana, but now lives in Waxahachie, TX, a town that both of us had trouble spelling so we settled on Dallas/Ft. Worth. He left Montana when the government closed the oil rights on their property.
I asked William how he lost the top half of his fingers on his right hand, assuming it was a work-related injury from his years of hands-on labor. “I was born this way. But it hasn’t stopped me.” He then proceeded to list all the jobs he could do, from driving the big rigs to fixing the small bulbs. Those hands were still working when I returned to the Midway hours later at dusk. The ride that was supposed to take two hours to set up had to have all the seats removed and some key parts replaced. “Being extra safe,” said William.
I promised William I’d bring prints of him later in the week. “I’ll be working the bumper cars on the Kidway,” he said with the same pride he had for all ‘his’ rides. He asked how much the prints were. Nothing; my thanks to him. His thanks to me? I got a free ride on the kiddie bumper cars.
That’s my kind of ride, the kind that gives me thrills: that great circle of energy where we give what we can – and what we love – to give.
And on the circuit that is William from Waxahachie’s life the next stop is home, The Dallas State Fair. There, at the grand finale of the midway worker’s season, he’ll work from dawn to midnight for close to 4 weeks.
“I wouldn’t still be doing it if I didn’t enjoy it.”
Fireflies On A Hot Summer Night
Like moths to a flame; fireflies in the hot summer nightscape: the iconic Skyflyer holds us spellbound, once again.
Available on metal or metallic paper.
Janey Had A Little Lamb
Which followed her everywhere. Off lead. No leash. Says Chisago County High School senior Jane, “The week before the Fair, she didn’t listen to me at all. I think, once at the Fair, “Pepper” bonded with me as her Mother. She’s only 6 months.”
Pepper would occasionally get distracted, but Jane soon coaxed her onto the right path. Jane, who also shows dogs, says she wasn’t quite as pleased with how she did in “Sheep Showmanship” compared to her other competitions, and says she has more to learn. In my humble opinion: Her sheep walks without a leash – that’s plenty impressive for me!
The Calm Before The Crowds
The night before opening day is always so sweet and quiet: the calm before the crowds. The Midway owners turn the ride lights on, as if to acknowledge that set up is done, and here she is in all her glory. Game on! We’re ready for you!
Product Placement
Totally walking his talk, or the side of his truck’s talk, as he and his partner carried an endless number of 5-hour Energy displays bottles. He told me they’re not heavy. Only about 100 pounds.
How Many Men Does It Take To…..
How many men does it take to place an umbrella and two garbage cans?
I’m not mocking; I’ve never built a Fair.
Just an observer here……but it was amusing to see these guys work it out among themselves.
Strong Woman
The tent wasn’t up yet, and the guys were hanging.
Serena looked like the one in charge. At one point it looked like she was going to lift the tent herself.
Soon I realized it took a crew of 12 to lift the tent. Serena was beaming when it was up. “This game is my baby. My sister’s aunt groomed me for it.” Check out the Buoy Pitch, but mostly, check out Serena. She’s the anchor of it all.
Wise Woman
Hope, of Indiana, had it under control as she calmly instructed her crew to change out the Wisconsin State Fair sign for the Minnesota State Fair sign. “The less you have to remember, the better you are.” I asked how long it takes to set up their basketball game. She laughed: “If you have two weeks, it takes two weeks….”
It’s two days before the Fair, and she never broke a sweat.
Friend and Patron Thank You Party + Holiday Gift Sale
Work you have seen, new work you haven’t seen; come enjoy the views and let me thank YOU!
Time Flies
Another year has flown by.
How did I use it? Whom did I impact? What did I share?
Did I dare to soar? Did I loosen my grip?
“Time Flies”
I wish for you time spent with those you love, doing what you love, giving and receiving love.
I wish for you abundance, grace, and gratitude, as we fly on this ride of ever-changing times.
I wish for us a sharing and a caring of our talents and our gifts, with each other, and our planet.
Let us spread our arms wide, sensing, feeling, embracing time as it rushes by.
Time; you say goodbye – but I say hello!
Wishing you a joyful New Year.
Warmly,
Debra
You Say Goodbye, But I Say Hello
The Minnesota State Fair has said goodbye….but does that mean I have to say goodbye to joyful moments and meeting new friends (of various species)? My mantra this Winter season: Goodbye darkness; Hello life and light!
With me?
…
The Hand Off
It’s all hands on when a parent passes their child over to the kind hands of a ride operator on the Kidway. Moments sweeter than cotton candy at the Minnesota State Fair.
Spin Art
Compliments of The Wellenflug. Translation:Wave Swinger.
History of this international amusement park Grande Dame: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellenflug_(Fahrgeschäft)
Once again, spinning out of control at the Minnesota State Fair with www.BeyondTheStick.com.
Building The Crazy Mouse
Those of you who have followed my Fair photos know that I’ve spent a crazy amount of time admiring and photographing the construction and completion of the Crazy Mouse ride. This year is no different; the obsession remains, this year with a feline-like focus on the quickly changing 
shapes and patterns.
Water Colors
On the last day of the heat wave, on the last day of August, it poured. Minnesotans stayed and played. And so did I.
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- Let’s Get Glowing!
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- Undercover and Underwrap
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- Staff Umbrella Policy
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- A Drop In The Bucket
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- The Aliens Chose St. Paul?
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- The Rip Tide’s Revenge
Click on collage photos to see full images.
Just Another Day At The Fair
And I’m sure you saw even more of the same. Or different. The point is, there’s more.
To say the least.
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- Friends. But Not Like The TV Show.
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- Just Another Day At The Fair
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- Spamelot Changes Shoes. But Not Outfit.
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- Do I Have Your Attention Now?
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- Family Portrait
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- Prize-Winning Goat
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- Still Life
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- Not So Much A Still Life
A Tribute To Those Who Were So Cool Being Hot
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- Hot Chick 1
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- Hot Chick 2
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- Hot Spot
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- If The Kitchen’s Too Hot
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- Hot Chocolate
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- Warm Milk
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- It Is What It Is
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- Red Hot With Gray Accents
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- One Cool Kid
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- Smokin’ Hot
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- Roast Being The Operative Word Here
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- Too Much Information
Thank You Daddy For Winning This For Me
Ella, 8, shows us us to grab life with all you’ve got.
Abundance
Thank You Daddy For Winning This For Me
Pink Is The New ‘Blue Is For Boys’
When the 4H winner coordinates her steer’s harness with her shirt, it’s cute.
Coordinating Cattle
When the Grandstand sound engineer coordinates his shoes, fan, and a rubber ducky, it’s, well, even cuter.
Likes His Levels Hot
World’s Brightest Midways
How many lightbulbs does it take to draw in customers?
Showmen Supplies knows, as operator Jeff points to the Midway under construction: “We’re a rolling warehouse to keep all of that running.” Started 17 years ago by two brothers in a carnival-roving station wagon, Showmen’s, “We Light The World’s Brightest Midways” is now the giant semi full of bulbs, generators, boxes, cables and every replacement part a loud Midway could need, quietly tucked behind the scenes.
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- You Must Be This Tall
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- Behind The Scene
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- Winner in Creative Arts/Electrical Parts
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- “Wanna Earn 20 Bucks?”, He Asked Me.
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- “We Light The World’s Brightest Midways”
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- Fry By Night
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- We Are Ready For You
Walk With Me
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- Joel, Faribault County
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- Samantha & Brianna, Good Thunder County
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- Sweet Kids Whose Names Couldn’t Hear Over The Spray, Houston County
A Shot In The Dark
The Midway was mostly dark; everyone had retired after a 91 degree day of setting up. I was about to turn it off for the night, then I saw one that hadn’t.
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- After Hours Set
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- Straighten Up and Fly Right
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- Lights. Check.
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- Duet
Beyond The Stick Gets Blogified
This is where the 2013 BeyondTheStick State Fair photos can be tasted, savored, commented on, and shared.
We All Scream For Ice Cream
The Shape of Things to Come
Heather’s New Shoes
My Summer Fling
