Kendall thrilled with return of carnival

12 carnival rides, including Ferris wheel, added lots of pep to small town

Photos by Tom Rivers

KENDALL – The Ferris wheel glows in Kendall on Saturday night for the Kendall Firemen’s Carnival. The event returned this year after being limited to field days with no amusement rides last year.

Knox’s Great American Amusements, a new ride company from Franklinville, brought 12 rides for the three-day carnival. That is double what Kendall had been getting in its more recent carnivals.

Bryan Hardenbrook, carnival co-chairman, said the community showed up big for the carnival all three days, and many volunteers stepped up to help the fire department with the return of the three-day event.

“The community has come out in force to support us,” Hardenbrook said.

Julie Kludt, right, and Michelle Barrett, of the Kendall Ladies Auxiliary, made waffles on Saturday. They estimated the Auxiliary sold well over 2,000 of the waffles in the three days.

Kludt has been volunteering with the waffles for over 20 years. She is grateful the fire department was able to put on the event. The Kendall FD jumped at the chance to bring it back when Knox’s Amusements called in early May to say it would have rides available.

“I’m glad for the community,” Kludt said. “It’s a hometown carnival. It’s like a great big community picnic.”

The Ferris wheel hadn’t been in Kendall for several years.

Lucas Kinser, 11, of Kendall hit balloons on six out of seven throws. His mother Melissa Brown cheered him on. There were several dart games at the carnival.

The band Tryst closed out the carnival on Saturday playing to a big crowd under the beer tent. Shotgun Pauly performed on Thursday, with Highway 31 on Friday.

Tryst performs “Always Something There To Remind Me” by Naked Eyes.

Eli Ross, 5, of Kendall rides the “Sky Fighter.”

Louie Conte, 18, grills hot dogs and burgers on Saturday. He put in late nights all three days of the carnival helping his grandfather, Phil D’Agostino, co-chairman of the carnival.

Conte said he enjoyed seeing many Kendall residents and jumped at the chance to volunteer at the grill.

“I’m glad it’s back,” he said about the carnival.

Paul and Bonnie Gray took a four-hour shift on Saturday in the ticket booth. The Kendall Lions Club handles selling the tickets on site during the carnival.

Mr. Gray said the club signs up to help the fire department in a show of appreciation for the department letting the Lions Club use the fire hall for its meetings.

Mrs. Gray said kids bring big smiles when they get their tickets.

“They enjoy all of the rides,” she said.

The Merry-Go-Round proved a timeless classic, drawing lots of kids.

James Parsons of Medina won a stuffed dragon for his 1-year-old daughter in one of the dart games. The game was run by “Chaddanooga Chad.”

Phil Kludt, center, served as the dealer in the “Beat the Dealer” game near the beer tent. Kludt, 34, has been the dealer at the carnival since he was 18. He said most nights he is able to raise about $200 to $400 for the fire department through the game.