The sight of a Ferris Wheel and the smell of fried dough in the Steeplegate Mall parking lot is a sure sign that fair season has arrived, although as with everything else, it has to contend with COVID-19.
“We’re limiting the capacity of the grounds to ensure adequate spacing. We still have mask-wearing for amusement rides,” said E.J. Dean, owner of Seabrook-based Fiesta Shows, regarding the Concord Spring Carnival that opened Thursday. Games, food and rides will be there as usual, although with some changes including contactless ticketing system to reduce interaction among people.
Dean said the company was rebounding from last year when the pandemic scrambled its schedule.
“It’s our third one this year. We were in Salem, then in Manchester last week,” he said.
The state’s agricultural fairs, which were all canceled last year, are also looking to rebound.
“Almost all of the fairs are planning on going forward in some form or other this year and of course it all depends on the changing pandemic guidelines. Some are trying to go with a limited format, others are planning on being as close to ‘normal’ as possible,” said Cynthia Heisler from the state Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food. She noted that each fair is a separate entity that makes decisions for itself.
The Stratham Fair in July, traditionally the first fair of the season, has been canceled due to uncertainty about how the pandemic will have played out by then. Meanwhile, the traditional last fair of the season,At the other end of the season, the Sandwich Fair held around Columbus Day, has said it will definitely take place.
Those in between, including the Hopkinton Fair in the first weekend of September, are scheduled to operate but details are still being worked out.
At Feista Shows, Dean said the pandemic has produced one problem being seen in many industries: Staffing.
“Labor is definitely tight at the moment. We’re only operating one unit and not the two that we normally do,” he said. It’s not uncommon for just one carnival to be held at a time this early in the season, but “as the summer months come it will certainly become an issue.”
Dean said about 40% of the work force is foreigners here on the H-2B visa, which allows temporary workers, but the remainder must be hired locally.
In past years the Concord Spring Carnival has previously operated at Everett Arena but something else was booked this weekend. Fortunately, the mall parking lot has plenty of room.
The carnival sells wristbands on select nights, which cover rides for a certain amount of time at one price. Those can be bought at the fair. It also sells a Megapass that covers the entire weekend, through Sunday; it can only be bought online. Prices range from $28 to $40.
Food and games are paid for separately.
For times see the website fiestashows.com.
(David Brooks can be reached at 369-3313 or dbrooks@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @GraniteGeek.)
