MIXED RESULTS AT PLANT CITY
The first weekend and the closing Sunday were very strong for the February 28 - March 9 Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City, but cold temperatures, high winds, and rain caused problems on the second Friday and Saturday, according to General Manager Patsy Brooks. Jim Murphy's Mighty Blue Grass Shows lost its second Moonlight Magic promotion on Friday, March 7, scheduled for 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. Due to the bad weather, the fair shut down before 9 p.m.
Of the 22 artists booked through Vicki Oler Senecal of Oler Productions, Sarasota, Fla., two cancelled because of illness, and were replaced. Connie Smith and Marty Stuart replaced Travis Tritt, and Ronnie Milsap took the place of Glen Campbell. Twenty-two acts were booked for the main stage in 11 days. Alan Jackson and Sugarland posted sellouts. Attendance for the concerts by the Charlie Daniels Band, Trace Adkins, Billy Ray Cyrus and Neal McCoy were hurt by the weather.
"We had a lot of challenges, including the weather, our computerized ticketing system, and the two cancellations, but we still had a great fair, and people had fun. We hired professional stagehands and on opening day, they had to work with shows by Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra, Bobby Vinton and Josh Turner. They had to unload three semis of equipment, and did a great job.
"When we learned Travis Tritt had cancelled a Monday show the day before, we really had to scramble since the agencies in Nashville are closed down on a Sunday. We came up with Connie Smith and her husband, Marty Stuart, who did a great evening show after Mickey Gilley drew a huge crowd that afternoon.
"Alan Jackson provided a nice touch when his production crew drove around town and shot scenes of historic Plant City sites. They were shown as a backdrop on three large screens when he sang one of his hit songs, Our Town." Dates next year are February 26 - March 8.
Murphy said he had no problem finding help. His next spot is the Sarasota County Fair, March 13 - 23. Butch Netterfield, who had his food court and other concessions in Plant City, said, "The first weekend was up, and we did really, really well, despite blowing the second Friday completely. It was very cold and windy." Brooks said the winds got so high that some of the rides had to be shut down early.
A "KILLER" FAIR AT FORT MYERS
In her 15th year as general manager of the St. Lucie County Fair Fierce, Fla., Jeannie Keaton said the February 21 - March 2 event was "a killer. Man, we had four record days - both Saturdays, Sunday, and Thursday, which was Dollar Day." Murphy Bros. Exposition has the midway contract, but due to other commitments, Strates Shows provided the carnival. The midway gross was up by four and a half percent, and attendance was up by nine per cent, to 152,888. "We're pleased with the midway arrangement. They had 42 rides and did a terrific job," said Keaton.
Among highlights were three days of IPRA-sanctioned rodeo, with stock provided by D. R. Daniels; entertainment by Billy Ray Cyrus, Drake Bell, Rick K & The Allnighters, Lloyd Mabry, guitarist; Chris Mabry, hypnotist; Fables of the West, Rowdy the Rooster, Camfastic, Bruiser the Dog, Jernie, The Shenanigans Wild West Show, Live Shark Encounter, and Show Me Safari Racing Pigs and Petting Zoo.
"For the first time, we packaged our advance sale for the free concerts and armband discounts, and our advance sales were up by 78 per cent. This showed me that with the economy the way it is, people are tightening their belts and looking for bargains. They had confidence in our fair, but still wanted to save money. The Budweiser Clydesdales appeared in our ceremonial Show of Shows, and were magnificent," said Keaton."
James E. Strates, who was chairman of the Outdoor Amusement Business Association in 2003, said, "We set records in Fort Pierce last year, and we were up from that this year. We had pretty good weather, and with the economy the way it is, I think a carnival is doing well by just holding its own. Cathy Murphy (wife of Jerry Murphy Jr.) has the contract there, and she handled the office." Next for Strates are the Firefighters Indian River County Fair, Vero Beach, Fla., March 7 - 16; the Seminole County Fair in Sanford, and the Orange County Fair on grounds Strates owns in Winter Garden, Fla.
MOSLEY, REITHOFFER PLEASED WITH FORT MYERS RESULTS
General Manager Alta Mosley, in her 11th year as manager of the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair Fort Myers, Fla., which was held February 21 - March 2, said, "we had inclement weather with high winds and rain that took their toll. But by controlling our expenses, we were able to maintain, and come up with good results."
She said Reithoffer Shows has provided the midway for nine years, "and we will be renewing our contract with them. They do a superb job." She said she maintained the $6 gate admission. "We didn't want to go up with the economy the way it is. For the first time, we didn't book big name entertainment. and had no paid concerts. I had noticed in the past that we might have 20,000 people on the grounds, and only 1,000 at a concert."
Entertainment included Hotel California, Los Terribles del Norte, Mark Yuzuik for all 10 days; Kandu & Magic, Jim Herrington's Kaboodlestoppers, Tadpole the Clown, Tropical Tom, "who will showcase at the Florida Fair Convention in May", and Lloyd Mabry. "I believe we were better off without paid entertainment. We also had Cosmo Kid, who went around with a spray can. He was a great attraction."
Reithoffer had Pay-One-Price unlimited ride promotions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The price was $19, or $17, with a $2 coupon. Breeze Newspapers printed the coupons in all their papers. The fair also had a Mega Pass for $20, that included gate admission and unlimited rides on one day of the fair, at the customer's choosing. "We sent out brochures for every student in every school in the area. We will send five per cent of the sales back to the schools."
ANDERSON, S. C. FAIR ON HOLD
The Anderson, S. C. Fair, scheduled for October 17 - 26, will not be held this year, but there is a possibility it will be moved to the spring, according to Manager John Owens. Strates Shows owns the land and the fair, and provides the carnival midway as well. He said that there would have been date conflicts this year with three other fairs played by Strates - the Georgia-Carolina State Fair in Augusta, Ga.; the Exchange Club Fair of Southwest Georgia, Albany, and the North Florida Fair, Tallahassee. "There were logistical concerns," said Owens.
Owens said the fair had been very successful in the past, and last year it tracked the top 100 in attendance, coming in at 91. "We were up 15 per cent at the gate and 15 per cent with the ride gross. We tried to contact other carnivals, but at that time, everybody is already booked. "The property may change hands or we may have a spring fair. A lot of discussions are taking place."
James E. Strates said that the way the calendar falls this year, all four of the fairs mentioned above were on top of each other. "Also, Anderson College has been trying to buy all or part of the property, and we are in the process of talking about that with the parties involved, including the lawyers, so we're in a holding pattern. We may play in the spring, depending upon what happens. We're exploring all options, and there is a possibility that we have a potential to sell."
HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW & RODEO IN QUICK START
Through Sunday, March 9, general attendance at the 77th annual Houston, Texas Livestock Show and Rodeo, where Skip Wagner is president and CEO, was 474,085. The rodeo attendance, featuring name entertainers, through Monday, March 10, was 458,075. The numbers for the same days in 2007 were, respectively, 514,645, and 436,384.
On Monday, March 3, Tim McGraw drew 57,608. That was followed by Faith Hill, 53,923; Kevin Fowler, 47,865; Alan Jackson, 55,670; John Legend, 53,766; Martina McBride, 60,067; Miley Cyrus, as Hannah Montana, 73,469, and Sugarland, 55,707. Still to come were Rascal Flatts, John Fogerty, Toby Keith, Clay Walker, Brad Paisley, Duelo/Los Horoscopos De Durango, Miranda Lambert, Big & Rich, Fergie, Dierks Bentley, Pat Green, and Brooks & Dunn.
Ray Cammack Shows has the carnival midway for the March 3 - 22 event. Reached by phone on Tuesday, March 11, Guy Leavitt, who owns the carnival with his wife, Charlene, said that weather has been a factor so far, with rain, cold and high winds. "But Sunday, when Hannah Montana played, was huge. All those kids emptied onto the midway. We're only half way through, and we believe we'll finish strong. The weather forecasts are good, and we're optimistic, but you can't do anything about the weather." The Leavitts were ecstatic about the fact that daughter, Joy, gave birth to twin boys on Sunday, March 10, that have not been named yet. "That was very exciting," said Guy. The Leavitts now have 11 grand children. Joy's husband is Ben Pickett, son of Australian carnival owner Taz Pickett.
TIME TO HIT THE ROAD
The Hit the Road Bar-B-Que for the International Independent Showmen's Association in Gibsonton, Fla., is set for Sunday, March 16, and for the Greater Tampa Showmen's Association, March 22. The last meeting for the Gibtown club, where Dee Dee Starkey of Myers International Midways is president, is March 28 and a Close the Bar Party is Saturday, March 29. So hurry down for a drink. Next year's trade show dates are February 10 - 14, and the club re-opens on Monday, October 20, according to Starkey.
Club members were saddened by the death of former carnival owner and more recently, concessionaire, Jerry Lee (Big Hearted Jerry) Bohlander, 65, on February 26. His late brother, Jack, owned Poor Jack's Amusements in Milton, Ind. A reception was held at the Gibtown club on March 1, and he was buried March 4 in Cambridge City, Ind. Jerry, an active, and very popular member of the club, had suffered from cancer.
