Magic Maze's Green Dragon

Ever wonder who is responsible for all those distinctive Midway ride art? To be honest, I never did in the past; it was just something in the background, helping provide some sort of thematic difference between each ride. Ride X was all about wizards and dragons, while Ride B is about genies and harems. This year, however, I spent more time actually looking at these fully mobile murals, and grew to appreciate the genre.

The dragon above was on the Magic Maze, and was designed and painted by Duncan Design, a company based out of Santa Rosa, California. Duncan Design is headed by "Artistic Director" Greg Duncan, an artist with a degree in Theater Arts. His eight employees come from diverse artistic backgrounds, with many of them having expertise in theatrical design. They do a little bit of everything; as the website states, "we offer award-winning design and fabrication for entertainment venues, restaurants, amusement parks, and retail malls." Checking out companies like Duncan Design always makes me wonder what life would be like if I'd taken a different career path. While I'm happy with the route I've taken, I still think it would be pretty cool to work at a place like this, and to get to be a part of the long tradition of carnival art and design. For now, I'm content just wandering the Fair and checking out all the background details that sometimes get lost behind the flashing lights, blaring music, and clanking machinery of the rides themselves.

Minnesota Nice

To the couple who gave my son a tiger "pillow chum" (a stuffed animal that can also double as a pillow) at the Midway on opening day -- thank you! My son LOVES his tiger, and I love the fact that it comes complete with a story about friendly strangers at that "Great Minnesota Get-Together," the Minnesota State Fair.

The story: while Jack, age four, is still a bit young and short to go on the Midway rides or play the games, he's not too young to enjoy watching the show. It was early evening, the Midway looked inviting, and we were checking out the height signs. I noticed a couple standing about ten feet away, gesturing at our small group; a minute later the man came up to me, asked if he could offer Jack a stuffed animal, then, when I said yes, offered Jack a "Toni the Tiger" pillow/animal. Jack, being (just) four and sometimes still being prone to shy fits, accepted the animal and then promptly hid his face in his stroller. We thanked the man, but I hope he realizes that yes, my son really does love his pillow, and it will be a much-loved reminder of the Fair. He told us that they do this every year; they like to play games (and are apparently really good at it, given their armful of animals!) and enjoy giving away their winnings to children they see at the Fair.

Both Jack and I happen to love his tiger pillow for its own sake -- it's cuddly, cute, AND functional (important, as we're moving to a small NYC apartment) -- but even if we didn't, I'd still love the fact that this is yet another reminder that there are some very nice, good people out there. And while I don't tend to go into the sweet saccharine or cliched sentimental posts, these random acts of kindness really do lend some credence to the idea that yes, this REALLY is the "Great Minnesota Get-Together," a place where Minnesotans (and visitors) of all ages and backgrounds get together for a shared experience. It's that spirit of community, of tradition and innovation, and the opportunity to interact with and learn about get the worlds of so many different people from all over the state, that keeps me coming back.

So once again, for both the pillow and the warm, fuzzy memories, thank you to to the wonderful couple who made my son and I so happy. Your tradition of sharing your winnings has undoubtedly made equally warm memories for many families like ours. Enjoy these last few days of the Fair, and perhaps our paths will cross again in 2012!

"Super-Spectacular" Vomit Inducer, aka "Tango"

New to the Midway roster in 2011, Tango looks like the perfect option for those of you who like thrill rides. Full disclaimer here: I don't. I don't mind a little whirl, but anything that brings me upside down is an automatic no-go. I get a headache just watching this ride. In other words, do not take this post as an actual review.

That said, this is one of the few rides on the Midway that caused our small group to stop and gawk for nearly the duration of the entire ride. My son, in particular, was VERY impressed. You'll have to see it in action for yourself to get the full picture (or better yet, try it out), but the gist of it is that the riders are strapped into open seats on three arms. The arms revolve, while at the same time the individual three gondolas (each holding eight people) simultaneously spin around on their own axes.

For those who like numbers, Tango weighs 26 tons, approximately 75 1/2 feet in height, and can be assembled in four to five hours by three people. It was designed and constructed by KMG, a Netherlands-based company specializing in what they describe as  "fun fair attractions." While riding Tango does not admittedly look like MY idea of fun, I had fun watching those with stronger stomachs try it out. And those of you who do enjoy such rides should make the trek down towards the far end of the Midway to try it out for yourself.