LYNN — Those walking through the commons this weekend would likely have heard a symphony of screaming, laughing, and blaring circus music from Fiesta Shows’ Lynn Carnival on Western Avenue.
On Sunday, the last day of the four-day carnival, dozens of people of all ages lined up at the gate for some old-fashioned family fun. Father David Perez brought his four children to the carnival because, he said, there was something for all of them to do.
“Just having a good time out here with the kids. I’ve got four kids ranging from all different ages, so here there’s plenty of fun stuff for them to do,” Perez said.
His son, Damien Perez, 7, said that his favorite ride was the Flying Bus, as it spun backward and forward.
“It goes in circles and it goes backwards and it’s exciting,” Damien Perez said. “There’s something that spins around, and then there’s a bridge, and it’s like you’re spinning around.”
Damien’s little sister, Emma, 6, said that she preferred the Seven Seas ride, which lifts a row of carnival goers high into the air and then drops them in a circular rotation.
“I like to go on the scary rides sometimes,” Emma Perez said.
Isabella Perez, 10, said that she enjoyed the Viper ride, because it made her feel like she was floating, and her three-year-old sister, Anna, said that she liked the Dizzy Dragon.
Garrett Duato, who works at the Fishbowl Frenzy stand, was born into a carnival family. He said that he enjoys the communal aspects of carnival work, along with the constant travel.
“I’ve been at this my whole life. I’m second generation, my son’s third generation. I was born into this show, my parents met out here, I’ve been doing this for years,” Duato, 27, said. “A lot of new faces, it doesn’t seem like a lot of Americans want to work anymore, so we have to bring in outside help. They’re really good, the guys are good, the rides are good, we all kind of vibe and create a family out here. We all take care of each other […] I have a gypsy soul, I love to travel. I never like being in the same place for more than a week or two. It’s how I was born, how I was raised, and I just love it.”
The Bank-A-Ball game operator, TJ Lynch, has only been with the carnival for a month, but he said although the job can be tiring and difficult at times, the interactions he has with the crowd, mixed with a positive attitude, make it fun for him.
“It gets kind of chaotic sometimes with set up and tear down and all, but all-and-all it’s pretty fun. You come out here with a good attitude and it’ll treat you well, if you don’t then it’s not for everyone. It’s a lot of hard work, you can stand in the heat for eight hours, but with the right determination, it can be a really fun thing,” Lynch said. “There’s been a lot of interesting characters I’ve had to deal with. I’d say my favorite was probably one dude that was messing around with me while he was playing, and he was just such a character, it was like something out of Looney Tunes, he was crazy, but it was so much fun.”
Aria Jose Ramirez has worked the basketball stand at the carnival for over 10 years, and he said that he can tell which rides people have been on based on their demeanor approaching his game.
“The amusement out here, how the vibe is, and how everybody works together out here,” Ramirez said. “Depending on which rides you go to, there’s always a different energy and different personalities. Depending on what rides people are into, you never know what kind of energy or what kind of atmosphere you’re going to have out here.”
A portion of the proceeds from the carnival will go toward the Lynn Fireworks Fund.
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at [email protected]
