Photo by R.Mclennan - Morden Corn and Apple
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Thank you to all for a great 2010 Season!
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Last Stop! – Morden Corn and Apple 2010
Come join us in Morden, Manitoba for our Season Finale! Wonder Shows brings the midway that Sparkles to the city of Morden for their 43rd Annual Corn and Apple festival. This 3 day event features over 5 city blocks of entertainment, buskers, tons of Food and Street vendors, MainStage entertainment and FREE CORN AND APPLE Cider…and we must not forget.. the Midway that Sparkles! Pack up the family and head down to Morden this weekend as we finish our season at another great Manitoban festival tradition! Visit their website for more information and entertainment schedule! http://www.cornandapple.com -
Kiernickis love the lifestyle, excitement of midway
Article By Jim Mosher - Interlake Spectator
WINNIPEG BEACH — Ken and Anita Kiernicki spend summers giving people a thrill. And they’re thrilled to do it.
The couple own Wonder Shows, a travelling midway that dazzles and delights tens of thousands of people each year. Whether it’s the Morden Corn and Apple Festival, Peguis Treaty Days, the Icelandic Festival or, as it was last weekend, Winnipeg Beach Boardwalk Days, the Kiernickis transport their about 20 rides to venues across the province.
Ken says he began working as a carnie when he was 12 years old. Now 46, Ken has logged hundreds of thousands of miles delivering constantly improving rides to people of all ages.
He would rise through the ranks to become manager of Winnipeg’s popular Tinker Town. He spent seven years overseeing that operation. He then spent nine years with another show. Then when Wonder Shows became available Ken and Anita took the plunge. That was 11 years ago. They haven’t looked back.“I haven’t had one weekend off in my whole life,” Ken said. “I’ve given up all my summers. There’s no cottage or beach life for me.”
But he doesn’t miss what he’s lost. He embraces what he’s gained. “I’ve always wanted to go where the action is,” he said during an interview Saturday evening in the mobile home that serves as command centre for the show. “In the carnival, there’s always a lot of excitement and action. Having been involved with Tinker Town and now Wonder Shows — both very much family-oriented — we have changed the way of the carnies. Here we emphasize politeness. We emphasize to our staff that these people, our clients, are here to have a good time.”
“We like to think that we’ve turned a lot of staff into good people.”
Adds Anita: “They feel like they’re part of a family. They enjoy their summers with us — and they have pride in their work.”
When there are disciplinary problems, Anita, who runs the administrative and human relations part of the show, takes a staffer aside for a chat.
Ken is adamant it’s either shape up or ship out. Wonder Shows does not abide discourteous staff. Simple as that.
“I’ve got to have a lot of people skills,” said Anita.
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Wonder Shows presents…. SPINOUT!
We would like to announce the biggest purchase in Wonder Shows history. We strive to provide Manitoba’s best Family Fun Carnival Entertainment, bringing you Rides of Thrill, Games of Skill we would like to present SPINOUT! The SPINOUT will take you into a thrilling upside-down 360 degree rotation. Check it out this weekend at the Niverville Country Fair, and at a Wonder Shows Carnival coming near you! Watch for more pictures and videos coming soon! -
Gimli Icelandic Festival: Update
Wonder Shows plays an integral part in delivering the best Carnival experience to the patrons of the Annual Gimli Icelandic Festival each year. For the last two years Mother Nature has caused a damp and mud filled experience for many of you who have attended. Great news for this year! The Wonder Shows crew spent a week out at Gimli Park last fall to build a drainage trench to prevent the mud disaster from re-occurring again this year, so with this we invite you and your family to come celebrate another fun filled weekend in Gimli for the 121st Annual Islendingadagurinn taking place July 30, July 31th and August 1st & 2nd 2010. It’s Carnival time… at the Midway that Sparkles!
