Midway makes a comeback

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This article was published 30/07/2021 (1708 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The familiar sweet smell of mini donuts, the radiant lights of the midway, and the buzzers and bells of hair-raising rides are flooding the cityscape once again this summer.

Manitoba-owned Wonder Shows is back in business, kicking off the season with a four-week carnival in the parking lot of the Victoria Inn at 1808 Wellington Ave., which began on July 30.

Wonder Shows welcomes thrill-seekers and gamers on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The company will consider opening its gates during the week if demand is high.

Ken Kiernicki bought Wonder Shows in 2000, but his connection to the company spans back to his childhood. After his older brother married into the company, Kiernicki began tagging along with the travelling road shows throughout Manitoba.

“It’s in my blood,” Kiernicki said.

Now, almost 60 years since the company was founded, the family ties remain strong. Kiernicki’s nephew, 27-year-old Michael Lacoste, is carving out a space for himself in the business.

Lacoste is going into his fifth year with Wonder Shows, and before that, he worked with Tinkertown for nearly a decade. As a certified Red Seal Electrician, Lacoste helps with setup and teardown and ensures the rides get the juice they need to keep guests swinging, spinning, and dropping.

This season, he’s debuting a newly revamped set of ice cream and hotdog carts, which he’s customized with LED lighting. Wonder Shows will be offering the classic lineup of carnival fare, from burgers and hotdogs to cotton floss and candy apples.

“It’s been a tough couple of years, but it’ll be good when we’re back and seeing the people having fun and everything,” he said. “A lot of people haven’t had this sort of entertainment in a couple of years, and we’re going to be one of the first to give it a go.”

Kiernicki, Lacoste, and the crew of 50 are hoping to extend the season to recoup the revenue they lost in May, June and July. Wonder Shows typically visits 18 communities around the province. Kiernicki likens the almost two-year-long shut down to hitting a big restart button.

“We’re looking to hire more people and basically (start) fresh again,” he said.

Even though restrictions forced the midway into storage, the work didn’t stop for many staff, including Lacoste. The team maintained and worked on rides and concessions before the reopening.

“I’m in the shop full-time in the wintertime, as well … fixing everything up for the following year,” he said.

Admission and unlimited access to the rides cost $25. Instead of the pay-as-you-go ticket system, Wonder Shows will be selling wristbands to the gated event to respect social distancing and capacity limits. Midway games cost extra, and there will be an ATM on site.

Before launch, the Province of Manitoba’s inspection and technical services team swept the park, and Kiernicki’s team is prepared to sanitize the games and rides.

“We’re happy to be back in business,” Kiernicki said. “We’re getting quite a good response. People are really looking forward to this … We want to see all the people come out and have fun.”