Classic rides and new thrills

Ride operator TJ Beitel twisted a long metal bar at the base of the Zipper, tightening the metal supports that hold up the classic carnival ride. The caged buckets hooked to the oval exterior were empty for the moment, but would soon fill with thrill-seeking fairgoers by the time the Northwest Montana Fair carnival officially opened on Wednesday.

“The elderly people are pretty comical — they still got it in them,” Beitel said. “The oldest person I had on there was 91 years old. She got off and she said ‘I want to do it again, but I’m afraid I’m going to have a heart attack.’”

Beitel smiled as he recounted the tale, but quickly got back to work — there was much to be done. The Zipper would take at least a couple hours to set up, not to mention the daily safety inspection.

The fair carnival will feature 35 rides this year, including the Zipper and other old-time favorites like a ferris wheel and Tilt-A-Whirl.

Northstar Amusements’ ride supervisor, who referred to himself as Hoss, said every ride that was at the carnival last year will return for this year’s fair, plus new additions including a dog-themed children’s ride, a kiddie coaster called the Orient Express and a miniature ferris wheel. The more mature crowd can hop on the Loop-O-Plane, also new for 2017, which features parallel spinning arms that swing riders in complete circles inside airplane-style compartments.

To keep attendees safe, Hoss said each ride undergoes a daily safety check by a ride operator, which is overseen by a foreman and Hoss himself. Over his 23-year career, he said the rides have incorporated more technology-based safety measures.

“It went from a simple lap bar to shoulder bars, seat belts, including multiple safety switches. Like the big one over there,” Hoss said, pointing to the 104-foot tall G Force. “If you’re too large of a person, then the shoulder bar won’t come down and tell the sensor that it’s closed.”

In recent years, fair manager Mark Campbell said the Northwest Montana Fair has been without serious injury. The only incident he could recall in his seven-year tenure was an individual who suffered rug burn after slipping off their burlap sack and sliding down the remainder of a giant slide ride.

“There’s been nothing more than a bump and a bruise,” Campbell said. “In the cases of carnival accidents across the board, one of the major causes of those is riders not following the rules and the regulations of that ride.”

Campbell said the fair works with Northstar Amusements because of their oversight procedures. He noted that in addition to daily inspections, rides are examined every time they’re erected at a new site.

According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, the odds of being seriously injured on an amusement park ride in the U.S. is 1 in 16 million. For comparison, the chances of being struck by lightning are 1 in 775,000.

“It’s a special thing,” Campbell said. “This is the largest carnival that comes to Flathead Valley all year long, so thoroughly enjoy it, but also respect the rules.”

The Northwest Montana Fair is just one stop along the summer route for Northstar Amusements.

Before setting up shop in Kalispell, the Billings-based outfit stopped at fairs in Missoula, Helena and Sidney.

“We did 1,200 miles in two weeks,” Hoss said.

Phillip Addison, a ride operator for the Tilt-A-Whirl, said the nomadic lifestyle allows him to meet different and interesting people, he said. Operators like Addison reside in bunkhouse trailers during fair season, which he said include between seven and eight rooms, plus shower facilities.

“It’s not like the old days where they slept in the games or inside the trucks or trailers, wherever they could,” Addison said. “I’m small enough to fit in one — the tall guys kind of have to bend their legs a little bit.”

The carnival will be open from noon to 10 p.m. Thursday, 1 p.m. until 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon until 8 p.m. Sunday.

Reporter Mackenzie Reiss may be reached at 758-4433 or mreiss@dailyinterlake.com.