Bowling Green : Beech Bend Amusement Park Day 1

Last week we were in TN doing a fair where, for the most part, we performed only in the evening. This week starts 2 weeks of shows where we are at the venue pretty much all day. We have 3 or 4 strolling acts at the gate when the park opens. Then we do three BIG shows during the day.  The kids do the strolling at 9:45 then the shows starts anywhere from 11:30 to 1pm. That gives me a chance to run off venue grounds to get any shopping, repairs, etc done.

I was surprised at the size of the crowds for a Monday! Every show had nearly full seating. I think the fact that a soft breeze blew all day and the weather was more like southern Cal than Kentucky Humid.

The kids all did VERY well. I mean really professional. And just about everyone introduced something new. Amelia added a new version of a mind reading stunt using a magazine. Miles added a double bullwhip routine. Nick added some new moves. I even brought Bobbi the cockatoo out for one show.

Victor stubbed his big toe before the shows but still walked the wire today and nailed it. Sadly when he did the metamorphosis later on Miles dropped the shackles on his toe at the end of the trick.  Nothing broken....just sore.

I mentioned the breeze.  It was mostly soft But I guess the RV part of the park got a stronger gust because after the shows when we went down there we noticed on arm of the awning had broke and the awning was scrawled partially on the roof of the RV.  The awning is 13 years old but the arms were replace last year. New rule ...never leave the RV unoccupied with the awning open!   First comes the search,.....then comes the payment for a new arm. Maybe I should just replace the whole thing.....it kinda needs it. But the MONEY! oy!

Mami fixed a fantastic Pasta thing for dinner. She discovered the recipe over the winter and it was a hit. MMMM. I married above myself. 


The only downer of the day is that the venue's magician seems to add something from our show each year. Magicians are notorious thieves. I mean just look at how many there are an how many are doing the same stuff. There are few creators and many imitators.  Found out today they are doing the skunk routine we do but with a raccoon character.  It is bothersome that they are piece by piece taking things from our show. But they are now selling those Raccoons in competition of our skunks. A couple of years ago when we realized we were selling one of the tricks they sold we stopped doing it.  In fact, at that time I gave the bandit the contact where he could get that particular prop cheaper than the supplier he had before. My thanks is he comes back and goes into competition with us.     Stealing a trick or routine is one thing.......you can never steal the personality of the performer presenting it....but stealing the sales market in concessions is just wrong.   That will be all I will mention of it except that one of our regular fans was very angry about it and asked the "performer" why he was trying to steal our show. He played dumb.   Later, after all the shows, I did go over and casually asked, "What's new in your show that you have taken for ours?" He retorted, "What have you taken from ours?" So I asked him to name one and he said he was just kidding.   I went on to mix into our 15 minute causal conversation all the things he has stole from us....not all, most.  It was a verbal tap dance you just had to watch.     I don't understand why he is that way...we are no threat and up until now I liked the guy. I even shared some secrets with him the first 2 or 3 years.......


Oh, forgot tot mention, Cynthia is running the sound and is doing a fantastic job. I am proud of everyone.  This year has got to be one of our best in the area of the kids' talent.