GOING PLACES ON A GALLON
Looking for something to do this weekend? The carnival at the Newburgh Mall may work for the whole family.
June 15: We didn’t go on any rides at the carnival at the Newburgh Mall. And we didn’t play any games. It may sound strange, but we were there to enjoy the atmosphere.
The carnival arrived on June 13 and will remain in its current location until June 23. It’s open from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday and from noon to 11 p.m. on the weekend.
We showed up on a Saturday afternoon. We couldn’t see much from Route 300, because the rides and amusements were in a parking lot behind the stores. But the Ferris wheel was too big to be hidden. It let us know we were in the right place.
There was plenty of parking behind the mall. And admission to the carnival was free. The first thing we saw was a slide that circled around a pole, was wide enough for one person, and several stories high. Kids were smiling with a sense of accomplishment as they neared the bottom. But there was an exception. One girl climbed up the steps and then turned around and came down the same way. The slide, she decided, was much too high for her.
Some of the rides appeared to be intimidating. At 2 p.m., none of them were crowded. There were no lines. And once people were seated, the ride started immediately. The passengers didn’t have to wait until the other seats or cars were filled.
Many of the games promised a guaranteed prize. We saw several couples carrying inflatable bats that they had won. The bats were huge — maybe five or six feet long. What was strange is the couples didn’t have any children with them.
For spectators, the most popular test of skill was the mechanical bull. Several adults eyed the creature and kept on walking. A pair of teenagers gave it a try. The first rider went sprawling within seconds. His friend was more successful, and people applauded when he was finished.
We didn’t count, but the number of food options was probably equal to the number of rides and amusements. “We’re bringing Brooklyn to you,” one vendor wrote on a food truck. Another offered chicken on a stick, and still another had a huge sign with the word “fries.”
Since we were between meals, we settled for fruit slices, and turned down the toppings that were available for no extra charge. There were plenty of tables. But we opted for an outdoor bench, where we could watch people having a good time.
Just being at the carnival was fun. We enjoyed the music blaring from the speakers and the occasional screams from the rides. We even watched the planes heading into Stewart. Carnivals are a harbinger of summer. As we approached the solstice and the end of the school year, the Newburgh Mall seemed a good place to be.
