Kendall Carnival to return Thursday through Saturday with double the rides

Photo by Tom Rivers: Bryan Hardenbrook, co-chairman of the Kendall Carnival, is shown Tuesday evening with some of the rides at this year’s Kendall Carnival which runs from Thursday through Saturday. A new ride company, Knox’s Great American Amusements, will have 12 rides.

KENDALL – The Kendall Fire Department thought its annual carnival was over. The department was the last one in Orleans County to offer a carnival with amusement rides and other entertainment.

But it’s been increasingly difficult to find a ride company. Last year there was a carnival but there weren’t any rides, and it was reduced from three to two days.

The department’s leadership thought that was the last event, with no more carnival.

But then the department got a call in early May from Knox’s Great American Amusements, a new ride company out of Franklinville. Knox’s had an opening this week after a cancellation. Kendall called an emergency meeting and decided to continue the carnival.

The event is usually the second week in July, but the department will be running the three-day carnival this week from Thursday through Saturday. Knox’s will have 12 rides. That is up from the six in 2023 when there were last rides at the carnival.

“It’s a great community event,” said Bryan Hardenbrook, who is co-chairman of the carnival along with Phil D’Agostino.

The event is the department’s biggest fundraiser, usually generating about $20,000 to $25,000. It’s also a popular class reunion.

Due to the late start in planning the carnival, there won’t be fireworks but everything else is a go. The parade, which is usually on Friday, will be on Thursday at 7 p.m. so it doesnlt conflict with Kendall’s graduation ceremony.

 Some other highlights include:

• Knox’s Great American Amusements offering $20 ride specials for four hours, 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and Saturday, and also 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

• Bands will play in the beer tent and include Shotgun Pauly on Thursday, Highway 31 on Friday and Tryst on Saturday.

• The auction will start at 5 p.m. on Friday behind the Kendall fire hall.

• Cornhole tournament begins at noon on Saturday at $60 a team. Chicken barbecue that day.

Hardenbrook also thanked Wegmans for providing a refrigerated trailer for the week at no charge to the fire department.

He expects big crowds for the three days. He is hoping to secure a longer-term agreement with Knox’s to provide the amusement rides so the carnival continues for years to come.

“It’s a lot of work but the community likes it,” he said about the carnival.