It’s opening day at the Red River Ex in Winnipeg and of course, it’s raining, but isn’t that what the weather is supposed to do when the Red River Exhibition comes to town?
As outdoor attractions, carnivals are always at the mercy of an uncontrollable element — the weather. When circus fever hit America in the 19th century, the idea for a more interactive traveling show was in the works. Shedding the big top tent and opting for a more sprawling and imposing open-air presence, the birth of North American carnivals can be traced back to Chicago’s World Fair in 1893.
Deviating from classic circus attractions like acrobats and exotic animals, the fair offered rides, food, games of skill and chance, burlesque shows and freak shows. It was an opportunity for the American public to leave their seats in the circus audience and participate in less passive forms of entertainment.
Traveling carnivals like the Red River Ex were extremely popular after Chicago’s World Fair. By 1902, there were 17 traveling carnivals in the United States, that number soaring to almost 300 over the next 30 years. It seems as though the thrill-seeking aspect of carnivals appealed to many people. It is likely that the impermanence of carnivals also increased their allure. When a carnival is only near your home for a week, it becomes that much more coveted. It is also important to note that in cities with colder climates, like Winnipeg, the relatively short summers leave only a small window of time for carnivals to operate.
And what would a carnival be without carnies? Carnival workers hold a unique place in our collective imaginations as they have formed a culture unto themselves. Who are these people who confidently walk through midways unfazed by the loud music, bright lights and tempting food? The people whose skin shows the weathered signs of long days in the hot sun, who move from city to city, but rarely see more than the carnival grounds, and who feel at home amidst the bustling crowds.
There used to be a strong bond that united carnies as they worked together, lived together and traveled together. They considered themselves family and even had their own carnie language. It used to be common for carnies to insert “iz” between the syllables of a word, to make their conversations less understandable to outsiders. For example, carnie would be pronounced “cizarnie.”
A secret carnie language also emerged as many of the initial carnival games were rigged, designed to look easily winnable but proved to be very difficult to win. Though rigged games are rarely in use anymore because of stringent laws prohibiting them, game-related carnie terms were once very popular. Some examples include a “mark” which referred to a customer that spent a lot of money trying to win a game and was then unsuspectingly marked with chalk on his shoulder to let other carnies know he was a big spender. A “sharpie” was the opposite of a mark, and referred to a person who was simply skillful at games and knowledgeable about carnie scams while a “shill” referred to a carnie who pretended to be a player and won big prizes at a game to attract other customers. This intricate code reveals that carnies bonded through their work and were indeed part of a unique culture.
Today, carnival life is much different for carnies. Traveling carnivals have gone from small family owned operations to large-scale businesses. The transition has had a profound effect on carnie culture as carnival workers used to travel the country with the same show and their employee loyalty was valued. The current state of the carnival business relies on only a handful of permanent workers and depends more on the temporary workers in each city that the carnival visits.
That being said, carnival work is still a seasonal job. During the winter months, Florida is a common place for carnies to spend the carnival off-season. In fact, Gibsonton, Florida was once famous for its sideshow winter residents. Becoming a popular place in the 1930s when freak shows were all the rage, locals called the place “Gibtown.” It was a place where extraordinary people could feel ordinary. There was such diversity in the town that residents rarely felt out of place.
One attraction for carnival residents may also be the zoning laws of this census-designated place (no, it is not an official town or city). Elephants, amusement rides and circus trailers are permitted on the streets and front lawns. Many older residents of Gibtown are buried at the local mausoleum called Showmen’s Rest.
Although carnie culture has faded over time, places like Gibsonton still offer carnies a sense of community. When your workplace is the surreal setting of the carnival midway, the rotating places and people can all seem like a blur. When that is the case, sometimes other carnies are the only things that feel real.
