FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ — The coronavirus pandemic has impacted a lot of industries, including restaurants, bars, hotels, concerts and events, but one industry that may have been overlooked is carnivals.
"It was pretty scary. I've been in the industry my whole life. I'm 28 years old. My parents have been in the industry their whole life," said Bryan Broetsky, one of the owners of Frazier Shows, an Arizona-based and family-owned carnival.
Their show has 33 rides, seven food stands, and a dozen carnival-style games. They've helped provide the entertainment at nearly a dozen state fairs, including Maryland State Fair, Virginia state Fair, New Jersey State Fair, and Florida State Fair.
As coronavirus cases rose in states and spread throughout the United States, including here in Arizona, and stay-at-home orders were put into place, their season was put on hold.
But, Broetsky wanted to do something that would make the community happy, while also helping those who are working hard to help everyone else.
Called "Drive-thru Fair Food," he has set up one of his food booths near Saguaro and El Lago boulevards in Fountain Hills where he is selling some of those fair favorites, including funnel cakes, deep-fried Oreos, and ice cream.
"I think just the lights and the big flags up there and the lights blinking and seeing kids eat ice cream and eat a funnel cake and they're just happy," he said.
According to their Facebook page, Sunday, June 14, will be their last day in Fountain Hills. They plan on scouting locations around the Valley and reopening sometime in July. The booth is open from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
To give back to the community, they're offering all first responders in uniform a free item. Ten percent of proceeds will also be given to the Fountain Hills School District's PTO.
"If they do a fundraiser at a sporting event or get a bunch of people together for a fundraiser that's how they would get their money, but at the moment they can't do any of that so i just wanted to reach out to another industry, such as my industry, that I could help out and benefit from these hard times," he said.
The hours are 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Visit https://www.facebook.com/FH-Drive-Up-Fair-Food for more information.
