Bringing back tradition

A Creston tradition is coming back into play this year with the arrival of the Amusement Associates Carnival, running in McKinley Park July 1 through July 6.

A carnival coming to town was a long-standing Fourth of July tradition. More than 100 years ago, the Creston Daily Advertiser spoke high praise of the then-annual event.

“One of the largest crowds which has been seen in this city for some time came to Creston Saturday evening to attend the last night of Dano Carnival Company at this place. The streets were lined with automobiles and many of the cars were from the surrounding towns,” the paper wrote in their July 2, 1917, edition.

Through the years, though the various carnivals had different names and rides, the people of Creston were consistently thrilled by the summer entertainment. It was in the 2000s that the carnival stopped coming to Creston.

“They had a carnival forever, and it was still coming when I started here, which will be 26 years ago,” Creston Chamber of Commerce Director Ellen Gerharz said. “The gentleman sold it to his sons. They said we weren’t a carnival town, so we could never get a carnival to come in. Every year I’d call around and everyone was booked.”

However, this year it was the carnival that reached out to Gerharz.

“I had talked to him a few years ago and he had the Fourth of July open [this year],” Gerharz said. “It fit just within our budget.”

Amusement Associates owner Arthur McCarthy explained the plan for Creston. “We’re just a small, locally-owned carnival; we’re not huge. We plan on bringing between six and nine rides, for all ages.”

Along with tradition and price, Gerharz said it was the lack of food accompanying the carnival that pushed it over the edge.

“He has no food, so it will not impact our local food vendors,” Gerharz said. “He does have a lemonade stand that he sells. That doesn’t cut into any of the local groups, like the Appalachia Service Project group with their funnel cakes, because funnel cakes are a big carnival food.”

The carnival will be hosted in McKinley Park off of Stone Street and directly west of the Union County Historical Village. Gerharz said this is where previous carnivals had been held as well.

In order to use the rides, community members must either purchase tickets or wristbands. A ticket costs $1, with most rides taking between three and five tickets. A wristband costs $20 if pre-purchased or $25 day of. These wristbands will be good for unlimited rides for four hours on the day of the purchaser’s choosing. Wristbands can be purchased until June 30 from the Creston Chamber of Commerce, Creston News Advertiser, Fareway and Hy-Vee. There will be no refunds or rain checks, and height restrictions on rides may apply.

Gerharz said the city is excited to have more to offer families this year during the July Fourth celebrations.

“At Kiwanis we were talking about the service club Big Barbeque Bash. We’re really excited because families can come and eat dinner and then go and enjoy the carnival, or just stay in the park and look at cars,” Gerharz said.

The carnival will run from 4 to 10 p.m. July 1-3, from noon to 10 p.m. July 4 and 5 and a to be determined amount of time on July 6.