Cheryl Flood knows she’s one of the lucky ones. As executive director of the Florida State Fair, she is one of the few fair managers who actually had a fair back in 2020 just prior to the Covid pandemic being declared. While her 2020 fair was a success, she did not escape the pandemic unscathed. As the vaccine began to be distributed the decision had to be made to delay the 2021 Florida State Fair by several months. We talk about that decision and more on today’s episode.

Gene Cassidy is the President of the Eastern States Exposition, affectionately known as The Big E! He’s also the current chair of the IAFE Executive Committee. He joins us today from The Big E! to talk about how they’ve navigated the Covid pandemic and what he’s most looking forward to when the fair opens its gates this fall.

Samantha Fairlie is the owner at, “The Pretzel Lady,” a hand-rolled pretzel business based out of St. Augustine, Florida. Not only are her pretzels delicious, she’s the proud owner of one of the most amazing food trailers in the entire industry. When I first saw it my first thought was, “this is the kind of set up you’d see at EPCOT in Disney World during Food & Wine Fest.” We talk about that amazing display and more on today’s episode.

Carey Harveycutter faced the challenges of 2020 with patience, making decisions focused on the health of his staff and community. It’s 2021 now and the folks at the Salem Fair are ready to open. With their dates fast approaching the pandemic is waning just in time for the 2021 Salem Fair.

Producer’s Note: Today’s episode was pre-recorded on Wednesday, June 9th, 2021, three weeks prior to the fair’s opening night on Wednesday, June 30th.

If you’ve ever met Cale Moon you know he’s not only an incredibly talented country artist but also one of the kindest men you’d ever meet. We sit down to talk about how he handled pandemic life and the joy of knowing our industry is coming back.

When Adam the Great is performing his magic will amaze, amuse, daze & confuse. It’s a family friendly show that delights all ages at fairs across the country - except for in 2020. On today’s show Adam and I talk about his approach to performing as well as his 2020 story.

Danny Aguilar is the Assistant GM & Director of Marketing for the Delaware State Fair. After the pandemic shut our industry down in March of 2020, Danny and the team in Delaware worked hard to find a way to open safely. In July of 2020 they were first in the nation to open after the pandemic shut us down. Danny joined me to talk about that and their plans for 2021 on today’s show.

Dennis Friebe is an experienced magician having performed at fairs across America and some of America’s largest theme parks including Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. He takes a deliberate and thoughtful approach to magic which leaves his audiences in awe. He joins us today to share his story from 2020. PLUS - did you spot him in a hit Netflix series? Find out on today’s show.

Scooter Korek has been in the carnival industry for 43 years. He’s the Vice President for Client Relations for the largest carnival provider in the business, North American Midway Entertainment. With 5 units running simultaneously, N.A.M.E., is responsible for over 120 shows annually. Scooter joins me from Calgary, Alberta, Canada to talk about the challenges of the Covid pandemic and how he reacted to being shut down along with the Miami-Dade County Fair in march of 2020.

If you’ve ever seen the Robocars in action, chances are good Jeremiah Trippett may have been one of the performers bringing the characters to life. Jeremiah got his start with the Robocars on a chance encounter one day. During the show we talk about that encounter plus, the Jeremiah shares how he hustled during the pandemic to stay ahead of things. All that and more!

Jim Ward is on the board of the Pasco County Fair and is the immediate past president of the Florida Federation of Fairs & Livestock Shows. Jim’s year as president was marred by the Covid-19 pandemic. In order to show the Federation’s support of its member fairs, Jim along with Federation director Dan West, visited 28 fairs, traveling more than 6,000 miles in the process. We talk about all of that and more on today’s episode.

Ron Diamond has over 30 years of entertaining experience in the fair and festival industry. His focus on building strong relationships and delivering high production quality has made him an industry favorite. Between his magic shows, hypnosis shows and incredible A/V stage production, Ron Diamond has delivered for fairs all across America.

Mallory Hines joins us from the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo where she overseas entertainment and exhibits. Their event took place in 2020 just prior to the world shutting down. We talk about that plus how they adjusted for their 2021 event.

Freddy Miller joins us today. Like many of our carnival operators, Miller’s Spectacular Shows out of Arkansas was hit particularly hard in 2020. But like a true ride operator, Miller is optimistic about the future and getting back out on the road in 2021.

Rick Frenette has been involved in the fair industry since he was a kid. With over 30 years of management experience in the industry, Rick launched his consulting company, Fair Advantage. The company supports clients with all manner of project from contract negotiations to midway presentation, ticketing, entertainment and more.

Welcome to Season 3 of the Fair Game Podcast. Today we welcome Devin Vaughn from the Colorado State Fair. Devin shared the fair’s 2020 story along with their hopes for a successful 2021 opening. PLUS, which green chile is best? New Mexico or Colorado?

Charva Ingram is the Vice President of Marketing & Sponsorships with the Heart O’ Texas Fair in Waco. Charva talks about how she handled the last year and she dishes on the state of marketing and sponsorships in a Covid world. All that and more!

It was going to be her coming out year as the new fair manager for the Hillsborough County Fair in Florida but 2020 had other plans. Today we talk with Suzanne Holcomb about the frustrations she faced plus her new dates and high hopes for 2021. All that and more!

Andrea Wiesenmeyer just took over her role as manager for the Jerome County Fair a few months ago. A brand new job in the middle of a pandemic? She may be out of her mind! Tune into today’s episode to find out.

Neal Snyder takes his Firefighter Training Show across the country entertaining audiences and making junior firefighters out of the kids in his show. He’s innovated his program with the addition of the Tiny Tanker which we talk about on the show. All that and more! Thanks for joining us.

Courtney Cox is the Fair and Special Event Coordinator for the Adams County Fair in Brighton, Colorado. Like so many others she has a long history in the fair industry from the livestock ring to fair management. We talk about being a young fair manager during a pandemic and the similar challenges we each face with our names. Plus! Did you know both Courtney and I were Disney World cast members? We talk about all that and more on today’s show.

Lisa Reiff has a long family history in the fair industry. That family history would eventually lead her to the Michigan Association of Fairs & Exhibitions where she is the executive director. In March of 2020 as the pandemic hit Lisa discovered things wouldn’t be all roses and flowers. (Listen to the show and you’ll understand). To learn more about the Michigan Association of Fairs visit www.mifairs.org.

Angela Miller has been the fair manager for the Roosevelt County Fair in Culbertson, Montana for 9 years. At first glance the fair doesn’t seem like your traditional county fair. There’s no carnival and entertainment consists of events such a corn hole tournaments. But when you look deep, you realize the Roosevelt County Fair is about as traditional of an “Americana” county fair as you can get.

Today we welcome Jeannine Domeyer from the Delaware County Fair in Manchester, Iowa. Jeannine has been involved in the fair industry for 16 years. After cancelling in 2020 her community rallied around the fair to help raise money and support the fair. Her leadership and the hard work from her team helped successfully navigate the pandemic. She’s now looking forward to opening the gates in 2021.

Danny Grant is a lasso-twirlin’, joke spittin’, one-man cowboy comedy circus. He spent most of 2020 creating new show elements while patiently waiting for fairs to reopen. What many don’t realize? He has a family history in entertainment. We talk about all of that and more on today’s show.

Christine Iannotti is brand new to being a fair manager. She became fair manager of the St. Lucie County Fair in Florida in late 2019. Luckily for Christine, her dates snuck in right under the wire in 2020, concluding just a few days before Houston cancelled and the dominos began to fall. We talk about her experience navigating 2020, how she felt watching her colleagues have to cancel their fairs and how she managed her 2021 fair.

Cody Cashman grew up in the fair industry. His father, Andy, is the head of the Maryland State Fair. Not long ago, Cody took the position as fair manager at the Red River Valley Fair in North Dakota. One of his first challenges as fair manager? Navigating the Covid-19 pandemic.

Daniel Jolley, aka Pirate Man Dan is a swashbuckling entertainer who delights audiences. Based out of Vermont, Daniel travels across the northeastern and southern United States bringing smiles to people’s faces from New England to Alabama.

Jenn Flinton is on the YPI Steering Committee for Zone 1 and currently works for the Saratoga County Fair in New York. Jenn is a fair industry lifer having grown up in the industry. She brings a lifetime of knowledge to the show. You don’t want to miss it.

Jo Reynolds is fair manager for the Warren County Fair in Iowa where she also pulls double duty as a member of the Iowa State Fair Board of Directors. We had a great conversation about how she navigated 2020 and her hopes for her 2021 fair. All that and more!

Cindy Hoye is the executive director for the Indiana State Fair. The Indiana State Fair is one of the five largest state fairs in the midwest along with the State Fairs of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsins and Ohio. Cindy and I talk about the leadership challenges of navigating a pandemic and the decision to move forward with their 2021 fair.

Jamie Jones is fair manager for the Grady County Fair. It is by far the smallest fair we’ve had on represented on the show. Regardless of size, our fairs play big roles in their local communities.

Rosaire’s Royal Racers is on of the top pig racing organization in the industry. We talk about the struggles of 2020 and the relief of finally getting back out on the road in 2021.

Jake Sperley is the CEO of Fair & Event. One of their new products is a booth management system for event planners. The roll out hit a major roadblock as Covid disrupted events nationwide. Here’s the impressive thing - Fair & Event actually expanded and added employees during the pandemic. We talk about how that happened on today’s episode.

Daryle Lupretta is the Food & Beverage Manager for the Santa Clara County Fair. The fair is located in San Jose, California where continued government restrictions have been crippling to the events industry. Can the Santa Clara County Fair survive a protracted shutdown and what impact does the pandemic have on food vendors? All that and more.

Dominic Palmieri is the owner of Odyssey Foods & known as “The Midway Gourmet” for Ray Cammack Shows. When 2020 became the challenge of a lifetime, Palmieri made adjustment to start a new sanitizing company. We talk about that as well as food costs and the challenges concessionaires may face moving through the pandemic.

Tim & Robin Balster join us today from just outside Chicago where they are the husband and wife duo of Balster Magic. We talk entertainment, their new trivia game show and life during the pandemic.

Today we welcome Collin, Adrienne and Benny Rolf. Together the sibling trio make up, Renata the Banda. They took time out of their fair performance schedule (YES! They were actually at a fair when we spoke!) to come on the show and share their pandemic experience and talk about how great it felt to be back on stage performing at the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair.

Interim CEO Walter Marquez has his hands full at the Los Angeles County Fair. As the grounds has been forced to cancel back-to-back fairs now, he’s tasked with navigating the fair in Pomona, CA through tumultuous waters.

Steve Trash is a performer who talks the talk and walks the walk when it comes to conservation. He is without question one of the most polished and professional acts in the industry. He joins us from his home in Alabama to talk about conservation, the pandemic and the future of fairs.

Professionally know as, “Bandaloni,” Paul David is an accomplished entertainer who delights audiences with him incredible one-man-band performance. He joins the show from Ontario, Canada where the border to the US is still closed due to Covid. We talk all things fair, pandemic and why he has toboggans and sleds in the corner of his home.

Jamie Larson is the fair manager of the Richland County Fair in Sydney, Montana. She pulls double duty as the president of the Rocky Mountain Association of Fairs. We had a terrific chat about the challenges she’s faced during the pandemic.

Nancy Smith is the General Manager of the South Carolina State Fair. During her time at the fair her team has faced its ups and downs. From flooding to record setting events to the pandemic, patience and quality leadership has brought them through it all.

Matt Cranford is the CEO of the Stanislaus County Fair in California. The government restrictions have proven to be an enormous challenge for the fair as they move into 2021. Matt talks about that plus, did the Stanislaus County Fair create the best fair ad ever? All that and more on today’s episode.

Jeremy Emerson is a partner and creative director for Saffire. Saffire has become the industry standard for quality marketing and efficient mobile ticketing. On today’s show we talk about how Saffire supported their clients during the pandemic.

Bill Buchanan is the owner of Kids Celebration - an exciting & interactive family experience that includes fun games and challenges. Having faced a difficult 2020, Bill and his attraction are ready to rock and roll in 2021.

Don Delahoyde is the immediate past president for NICA, the National Independent Concessionaires Association. While enjoying that warm Arizona sunshine, Don joins us to talk the concession business, NICA and the pandemic.

Ashley Brown is the Director of Commercial Sales for the Georgia National Fair. If you ask him, however, he does a little bit of everything. From sales to entertainment booking, Ashley has it covered. We talk about the challenges he’s faced the last year, what he looks for in entertainment and his hopes for 2021.

In 2011, William Zakrajshek made an observation at the San Diego County Fair. That observation lead to the creation of what is now known as Out at the Fair. An award winning event which supports the LGBTQ+ community. We chat about the event and how the pandemic has impacted the future of Out at the Fair.

Matias and Jamie Martinez are the owner/operators of the Three Ring Super Circus. The show wows audiences with incredible stunts and circus feats. Based out of Georgia, the show travels across the country to the delight of audiences everywhere. We sat down to talk about the pandemic, Matias’ injury that nearly took his life and the joys of having a new baby.

In April 2001, Chad's life took a dramatic turn when a tragic tractor mishap left him paralyzed, altering the course of his existence in unimaginable ways. Instead of succumbing to despair, Chad's unyielding determination propelled him to not just endure, but to flourish in the face of profound adversity. We invite you to witness Chad unravel his compelling odyssey, showcasing unwavering resilience and imparting profound revelations on the indomitable nature of the human spirit and the boundless potential for personal development. Make sure to tune in and be enriched by the wisdom and motivation emanating from Chad's truly extraordinary story.

Greg Chiecko is the president of the Outdoor Amusement Business Association. They advocate for over 2,500 members including 200 carnival operators. They’ve been heavily involved in supporting their members during the pandemic.

Dale Belair is a Canadian event producer. In 2020 he started an event called FoodTruckWars.ca. The event brings food truck vendors together in communities across Canada. In 2021, Belair is hoping to take that event to the international border of the USA & Canada. Will Covid let that happen? Only time will tell.

Our industry is made up of many people. From fair management to entertainers and concessionaires to carnival operators. One group we haven’t spoken to yet is our fair guests themselves. There are people across our nation who are loyal to our events, attending every year and in some cases, every single day of the fair. Today we speak to one of those people. Judy Wilder was named Ultimate Fair Goer at the Erie County Fair in 2018.

David Feimster is the owner/operator of Hot Dog Pig Racing out of New Jersey. You’d think the little piggies would be the stars of the show. But it’s his dachshunds (yes, actual Weiner dogs) that win people’s hearts.

Kathleen O’Leary has been with Wisconsin State Fair Park for over two decades. She became the CEO in 2016 and was excited for the future of the Wisconsins State Fair. She never could’ve imagined what 2020 would have in store for her and the State Fair Park. We talk about pandemic response, the future of our industry and her role as a strong female leader in the Milwaukee area.

Debbie Powers and her husband, Corky are the owners of Powers Great American Midways, a carnival company based out of New York that runs the east coast of the United States. While they managed to sneak in a few events in 2020 like most ride operators faced what seemed to be endless cancellations. As we move further into 2021 Debbie is continually optimistic that fairs will be able to reopen later this year. We talked carnival life, H2B Visas, the pandemic and living a positive life.

Super excited to have Dan West on the show today. Dan was formerly the manager of the Manatee County Fair in Florida before leaving that position to take the job as executive director of the Florida Federation of Fairs. Florida is the first state in the country to begin having fairs in 2021. It’s no exaggeration to say almost every other fair in the nation is watching Florida closely. Dan and I talk about what he’s seeing at fairs in Florida as far as mitigation and guest safety. Plus, we talk trade show and convention planning.

Miranda Muir is one of the most creative and innovative young fair managers in our industry. She’s currently the manager of the Elkhart County 4H Fair in Indiana. Miranda and I have been friends for many years and I was excited for her and her husband, Steve when they recently welcomed their newest addition to their family. We talk fair life, pandemic life and parenthood.

Todd Robison is the fair manager for the Clark County Fair in Logandale, NV. The fair has been hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic having been forced to cancel both 2020 and 2021. We discuss how the fair has navigated the pandemic and the serious question - can the fair survive?

Today’s episode welcomes One Man Band, Eric Haines. Eric has a long history in entertainment having been a one man band, stilt walker and comedian. He even once opened for Weird Al Yankovic. On today’s show we check in with him on how he’s navigated the pandemic, the RV Super Show in Tampa and what his plans are for 2021.

Steve Siever is the Director of Sales for IAFE. Today we talk about how he came to be with IAFE, his goals for the trade show and what the future of trade shows may look like post-pandemic.

On today’s episode I sit down with Lee Andrews. We talk about the challenges of this pandemic and the excitement of a new baby on the way. Plus! Did you know Lee appeared in a music video with the Zac Brown Band? All that and more. Thanks for watching.

On this episode we talk with Kent Yelverton, fair manager for the North Carolina State Fair. We discuss the pandemic, the heartache of furloughing employees and his favorite part of working in fairs.

Danny Alfonso is the fair manager for the Manatee County Fair in Palmetto, Florida. His is one of the few fairs in the nation that has managed to dodge the pandemic thus far, denying the odds and hosting a fair in both 2020 and 2021. We sit down and discuss the mitigation strategies they used plus the emotional toll it takes seeing friends have to cancel the fairs they work so hard to produce.

Kenny Ahern is a brilliantly talented performer. His show connects with audiences in a way rarely seen. On today’s show we talk about his approach to creating his performance and how he navigated the Covid19 pandemic.

In 1999, Jim Morris found himself as the high school baseball coach in the small town of Big Lake, Texas. Little did he know that a deal made with his team would ultimately set him on the most improbable and inspiring journey to Major League Baseball. Walt Disney later adapted his remarkable story into the uplifting film, “The Rookie.” Today, he joins me to share his extraordinary experience and provide a source of inspiration for others.

Cliff Munson has been the CEO of the Siskiyou Golden Fair for a decade. He took time out from shoveling 2 feet of snow to join me on the show and talk about his fair’s response to the 2020 pandemic, plan for moving forward in 2021 and the importance of the Siskiyou fairgrounds in his community.

Roberto the Magnificent is one of the most energetic and crowd-pleasing performers in the country. Performing everything from NBA half-time shows to corporate events as well as state & county fairs, Roberto’s high energy show has to be seen to be believed. We talked about Covid as well as the challenges of having a family while being a touring entertainer.

Jennifer Dunn is the Vice President of The Linn County Fair and the chair of the YPI Steering Committee. Her fair board and staff is made up 100% of volunteers. Working together with her team attendance has risen from 6,000 to 45,000 guests for their late July fair. On the episode we talk about how they’ve navigated Covid. Plus! What catches her eye at the IAFE trade show?

Today’s guest are an experienced husband and wife duo. Josh & Lea Knotts perform an illusion and escape show that will have you on the edge of your seat. However, performing 300 shows annually came to a screeching halt in 2020. They sat down with me to share their story.

Todd Boltin has been booking entertainment into events for over three decades. He’s been nominated 13 times for the Academy of Country Music’s Talent Buyer of the Year award and he took home the honor in 2010. In 2016 after more than 30 years with Variety Attractions he purchased the company from founder George Moffett. Today on the show he shares his insights into how our industry recovers from this pandemic.

The Coconino County Fair in Flagstaff, AZ is operated by the county parks & recreation department. Today’s guest is the man who puts that fair together every year. Ricky Conway catches us up on their decision to cancel and how their virtual fair worked in 2020.

Today we sit down to chat with the COO of the Sonoma County Fair, Kaitlyn Findley-Thorn. We talk the pandemic, Kaitlyn’s law degree (bet you didn’t see that coming), and the future of the fair industry. The Sonoma County Fair runs every summer in Santa Rosa, CA just north of the Bay Area.

Today’s guest is a veteran in the fair industry. In 2020 his fair modified their event in a manner which cancelled the traditional fair but still operated their rodeo and livestock shows. Dustin Coufal is the Vice President of the fair division at the Heart O’ Texas Fair in Waco, TX.

Today I’m joined by Karen Nicklas, the general manager for The Great Frederick Fair in Frederick, Maryland. Karen was named the GM of the fair at the end of 2019. Her first year was full of hope and excitement until March of 2020 rolled around. She shares the heartbreak of cancelling and fights back tears at the thought of what might have been.

Jennifer Giesike wears many hats. She iis the general manager for the Washington Town & Country Fair in Washington, Missouri as well as their Chamber of Commerce CEO. She was recently announced as the 2nd vice chair of the IAFE board where she will serve on the executive board in planning IAFE events through 2023. She also cuts grass like nobody’s business. Find out more on that on today’s episode.

Alexcia Jordan is the General Manager of the North Idaho State Fair in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She has a pedigree in this industry having been raised through 4H and FFA, not to mention her mother was the fair manager for the Bonner County Fair for 16 years. We talk about the pandemic, the value our fairs bring to the community and her hopes for a successful 2021 fair.

On the podcast today we welcome Chris Shivers. Chris is the executive director fo the Texas Association of Fairs & Events. The organization is responsible for promoting & advocating for agriculture education through the state and county fairs throughout Texas. We had a good conversation about the impact of Covid across Texas, the frustration of seeing so many events cancel and the bright spots in an otherwise dark 2020.

Mark Sparks is the Vice President of Triangle Talent. Mark and I looked back on the creation of Conjurer Fortune Machine in Triangle Talent’s trade show booth in 2011. Mark shares his thoughts on entertainment booking moving forward in the pandemic, plus, how are entertainers responding to cancellations? All that and more.

Today’s guest is an expert on timing, having been named CEO of his fair in the middle of a pandemic. He’s got a great story to tell. From the Northwest Washington Fair, this is Chris Pickering.

Kady Porterfield is one of the youngest fair managers in our industry. Her first job in the industry at 21 years old was Agriculture Director for the Central Washington State Fair in Washington. She’s now the director of the Kittitas Valley Event Center in Washington. We talk about her challenges as a young fair manager as well as how she and her team managed the Covid19 pandemic in 2020.

John Sykes is the president and CEO of the East Texas State Fair in Tyler, TX. Their annual fair runs in September where they welcome 100,000 guests through their gates. John and I sat down to talk not only the pandemic but the fun and good times we enjoy so much in our fair industry.

Today on the show we welcome Josh Woods. Josh is the executive director of The Grounds in Mobile, Alabama. Every year The Ground produces hundreds of events including the Greater Gulf State Fair. We talk about how his young board, all under 40, approach the pandemic, and how they managed to actually have a fair in 2020.

On today’s episode I welcome the director of the York State Fair, Bryan Blair. We talk all about the pandemic’s impact on the York State Fair, why they changed their dates from September to July, and what his hopes are for the future of the fair.

Our final episode of season 2 features the CEO of one of the largest county fairs in America. Michele Richards joins us from the OC Fair office in Costa Mesa, CA. We talk the current state of fairs in California, how the OC Fair has supported their community and what the future of her fair looks like.

This season we’ve spoken withe everyone from artists to agents and fair managers to concessionaires. Without this next category of service providers, none of our events would happen. Today’s episode welcomes Andrew Vandepopulier from Haas & Wilkerson Insurance in Kansas City.

Randall Reichert has 25 years experience in the concessions business. His business, Hot Wisconsin Cheese, has served fair guests across the United States and Canada. We talk today about Covid-19 and the future of his concessions business.

Today’s episode takes us north of the border as we welcome Amanda Frigon. Amanda is the fair director for Northlands in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where they produce K-Days every summer. We talk about the challenges her event face and the current state of the pandemic response in Edmonton.

Kyle Palmer is both a performer and an agent with Artists and Attractions. On today’s show he shares his 2020 story. We speak candidly about potential contract changes for artists moving forward and how the agency has navigated the Covid0-19 pandemic.

On today’s episode I sit down with the fair manager for the Clay County Fair in Spencer, Iowa, Jeremy Parsons. We talked about how he helped navigate the Clay County Fair in 2020. Plus Jeremy shares how sometimes staying semi-open is actually more expensive that closing outright.

They’re called Waffle Chix - but they’re not chicks. Concessionaire newcomer, Chris Taylor has already appeared on Carnival Eats 4 different times and has built an amazing client base in a very short time. He joins us today to share Waffle Chix 2020 story.

Today we talk with Jimmy Earhart, the owner of Sea Lion Splash, a terrific show experience for guests that show cases both educational and entertaining demonstrations with sea lions. We discuss the unique impact of the pandemic on animals acts plus we talk about the new compound Earhart is building in Texas. All that and more!

Eric Wofford is the president of the Arizona Fairs Association, VP of the Western Fairs Association and fair manager for the Yuma County Fair in Yuma, AZ. We talk about how his fair faced cancellation and ultimately pivoted in 2020.

Today’s guests are a duo of children’s entertainers. Their high energy show is fun for kids and families. They join us from their home outside Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They’re the first Canadians we’ve had on the show this season and they bring a unique look at how the pandemic has impacted Canada.

Suzanne Neve is the executive director for the Florida Festivals and Events Association. The FFEA is the membership body for festival and event planners in the state fo Florida. Their membership includes local municipalities, independent event planners and fairs and festivals. We talk about the effect Covid-19 has had on the Florida events market and what the future of Florida special events could look like.

Strates Shows, based out of Orlando, FL is the last carnival operator in America to travel by train. On today’s show, Jay Strates shares the far reaching impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on his company. Jay has deep roots within this industry. His knowledge and experience within the industry make this a can’t miss show.

On today’s show I interview an absolute legend. Dennis Lee was born with entertainment in his blood. With his band, Dennis’ show is non-stop entertainment, comedy and fun. Watch out for your momma at the show. Dennis might just steal her heart.

Chef Landry joins us today from his home in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Lake Charles area has been under tremendous pressure in 2020. Not only have they faced a pandemic, they’ve also faced directs hits from Hurricanes Laura and Iota. Scott and I discuss the stress of the pandemic and how these two massive storms antagonized an already desperate situation.

On today’s episode I sit down with Jessica Underberg, CEO of the Erie County Fair. Jessica shares how the Erie County Fair has handled the pandemic crisis, plus how our industry is responding to the events of 2020. All that and more.

Joining me today is Scott Tindle, former fair manager and entrepreneur who has appeared on Shark Tank. We discuss the state of business during the pandemic and how you can navigate this uncharted territory.

Today I’m joined by Alan Bruess. Alan is a fellow podcast host on his show, “The Tailgate Entertainer.” We discuss fairs, pandemic life and what the future might look like for our industry.

On today’s show we welcome Kevin Ridgeway & Kristen Johnson from Lady Houdini. We discuss the wreck that nearly cost them their lives, their resiliency and how they’ve managed the 2020 pandemic.

When Dan Mourning took over the New Mexico State Fair he was facing a fair that was in crisis. They were in trouble financially and not a good neighbor to their community. They had a massive image crisis. On the show Dan shares some of those challenges and how he and his team turned things around.

Coleen Gilboy joins us from the Verde Valley Fair in Cottonwood, AZ. We discuss the impact the Covid19 pandemic has had on her small town of Cottonwood, Arizona.

On today’s show I’m joined by the head of the Texas FFA Foundation, Aaron Alejandro. Aaron is a public speaker, has a solid understanding of social media marketing, but is also a passionate advocate for youth agriculture education. We sit down and talk about how the largest FFA organization in America is handling the Covid19 pandemic.

Her first fair since becoming the fair manager for the Lake County Fair was cancelled due to the Covid19 pandemic. Stacey Wade joins us to share her story.

Today’s episode dives into a world of creepy crawlies as we’re joined by the owner of Pacific Animal Productions, Karla Majewski. The 2020 pandemic isn’t the first time Karla has had to adjust her business. We talk about her move from cute and cuddly to a world of insects and other invertebrates. Plus, how quickly can she evacuate her Southern California animal sanctuary in the event of a wild fire? All that and more. Thanks for joining us.

On today’s episode I’m joined by Sydney Royal Easter Show entertainment director, Lynelle Smith. We talk about the heartbreak and emotional toll cancellation took and we talk the dark side of the pandemic - deaths of despair. It’s a very special 2020 story.

On today’s episode, Wyoming State Fair manager, Courtny Conkle talks about how she managed to hold a record breaking fair in the middle of a pandemic.

Today we welcome IAFE CEO, Marla Calico. We talk the industry response to Covid19, the importance of fairs in our communities and the H2B Visa program.

Episode 4 welcomes Clay County Fair manager, Tasha Hyder. We talk about the decision to cancel the 2020 fair and how her team responded to the challenges of Covid19.

On today’s show, we welcome Martin County Fair manager, Jay Spicer. Jay has been in the middle of a fundraising campaign to build a brand new event complex in south Florida. So you can imagine the pandemic has taken a considerable toll on that process. We discuss the project as well as the impact this health crisis has had on the Martin County community. All that and more!

On today’s episode, I sit down to chat with the Alameda County Fair marketing director, Angel Moore. We talk about how her fair is adjusting (not pivoting, we’re all tired of that word), to life in a pandemic. We also discuss the struggles of having to furlough staff and the real truth about social media algorithms. All that and more!

He's a rapidly ascending talent in the country music scene, winning over fans with his chart-topping single "Mr. Red, White & Blue" currently sitting comfortably at number 5 on the iTunes charts. In addition to his musical success, he's set to captivate audiences in the upcoming Netflix series "Country, Ever After," which is scheduled to debut on November 6th. The show promises an intimate portrayal of his remarkable journey in the industry, shedding light on his perseverance in the absence of a traditional record label.