Charger Features

Living on the midway

Laura Denton, Charger Staff

Every year, people across the nation have the opportunity to go to their local fair. Cookeville recently enjoyed a ten day fair from Aug. 5-15.  Geren Rides, World’s Finest Midway, were the featured rides for the Putnam County fair this year for the second time.

The idea of a fair is to have fun. When people think of the fair, such things as ferris wheels, cotton candy and bright lights immediately come to mind. Who is behind all of this? Who actually makes the midway attractions possible?

Joanna Geren can tell you exactly what goes into the makings of a good fair. Along with her husband, Joanna owns and manages Geren Rides. Founded by W.R. Geren sixty-five years ago, Geren Rides is a fourth generation family-owned and operated business stationed out of Valdosta, Georgia. The Gerens take their business very seriously, making sure that the rides are up to par with safety standards and that their employees are honest and respectable.

Before the fair opens each day, it is bustling with workers preparing for the evening. Workers stock up the food booths and begin cooking. The ride operators run through their daily checklist to ensure the ride’s safety. Ride inspectors double check the machines. The managers scurry about addressing various problems. Everyone tries to grab a bite to eat as the sun sets, while another energetic night of carnival fun approaches them.

“People come here and see all the lights and they’re having a good time, but most don’t realize all the hard work that goes into it,” says Joanna. It takes about two days to get all the equipment unloaded and all the rides set up. The carnival workers are each in charge of a specific ride, which means they are in charge of putting it up and tearing it down themselves. This is extremely strenuous physical labor, but most workers agree that it is worth it.

Jeremy, an employee of Geren Rides, loves the “absolute freedom” of carnival work. At present, he works a ride called the Cobra, which takes about an hour and twenty minutes to assemble. He first became interested in joining the fair ten years ago, while living in Arkansas. “I wanted something new. I was nineteen and bored. I saw the excitement of the carnival, and ran away with them,” he says.
Many people are drawn towards the carnival life because of the travel. Judy Ford, another Geren Rides employee, joined the fair for that same reason. A native of Florida, she has been working with Geren for approximately two and half years. At present, she works the Midway Grill but has also worked in several of the game booths. “It’s just like any job; it’s got its ups and downs, but I love it. I make good money.”

Carnival workers come from a variety of backgrounds, and like everyone, they each have a story. They seek excitement and travel, escape of the ordinary world. Even many married couples work the fair, home schooling their children as they travel. Joanna admits, “People have a lot of misconceptions that people in the carnival business are strange. But really, we’re just common, ordinary people.”

Joanna has traveled around with the fair a large portion of her life after her marriage to Jerry Geren. “It’s real rewarding,” says Joanna. “You meet a lot of nice people, watch a lot of kids grow up.” It’s a hard life, but there’s rarely a boring moment. Joanna declares, “Of the forty-five years I’ve been in this business, I have enjoyed it. If I had my life to live over, I’d do it again!”