Manitowoc County Fair
Sometimes the best stops happen completely by chance. On my way from Green Bay towards Chicago, a fair suddenly appeared on the left side of the highway, with its highly visible Zipper immediately catching my attention. So I took the next exit and, just a few minutes later, found myself at the Manitowoc County Fair.
The classic American county fair took place from August 21 to 25 in 2024. For just $10, admission, parking and all rides on the midway operated by Rainbow Valley Amusements were included.
Besides the rides, there were of course animals, exhibitions, games and plenty of food. I particularly liked the food stands run by public institutions. The food was surprisingly cheap and really good – at prices I have rarely encountered in the United States. At the stands run by carnival operators, comparable offerings sometimes cost several times as much.
Midway
The midway had quite a lot to offer for a county fair. Larger rides included the Zipper, Pharaoh’s Fury, Freak Out, Rock Star, the Vertigo chair swing and Remix. These were joined by Cliff Hanger, Zero Gravity, a Rockin’ Tug and the classic Eli Bridge Ferris wheel.
As some of the lines were fairly long, I limited myself to just a few rides. One of them was the Rock Star by ARM Rides. The experience is very reminiscent of a classic HUSS Rainbow, offering some great lateral forces and plenty of airtime. Unlike on the Rainbow, however, riders are secured by a simple over-the-shoulder restraint.
A ride on the Freak Out was also a must before heading over to the fair’s only roller coaster. The Orient Express by Wisdom Rides is a small traveling kiddie coaster that sends you around its compact oval lap after lap. The ride may not exactly be the smoothest, but the things you do for another coaster count.
Pictures Manitowoc County Fair
Conclusion Manitowoc County Fair
The Manitowoc County Fair turned out to be a really nice accidental find. The atmosphere around the fairgrounds was great, the selection of rides was more than decent and the prices were very fair. All in all, a lovely event and definitely a worthwhile spontaneous stop.
