LEBANON, TN — Patrons attending the 2023 Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair will have the opportunity to ride new rides both in kiddie land and the adult ride midway, says Richard
Reithoffer, president of Reithoffer Shows, the carnival provider to the Fair. “We’ve added four new attractions which riders will add a “whole bunch of fun’ to their carnival experience.”
A total of approximately 62 rides and attractions will be operating, the most of any fair in Tennessee. The ride list includes 12 super spectacular, 7 spectacular, 39 major, 20 kiddieland and 4 in the Lil Rascals Roundup bounce houses. Reithoffer added, “I don’t know of any other fair in America operating 12 super spectacular rides at one event.”
Reithoffer Shows is a family-owned company, now in their 127th year of operation. The company plays approximately 45 events and fairs in 15 states. This is the fifth year of the Reithoffer Shows partnership with the Fair.
The Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair will run August 17-26 at the James E. Ward Agricultural Center in Lebanon.
Reithoffer said the new rides include:
Speedy Gonzalez: A family roller coaster which is a smaller version of the adult size coasters. Riders will ride “mouse cars” up and down the track. The ride holds 24 passengers and lasts about three minutes. Children must be at least 47 inches tall to ride without an adult and 37-47 to ride with an adult. Speedy Gonzalez ride will be found in kiddie land at the fair.
New York New York: The “big apple” is coming to the fair in the way of a fun house. The double decker New York New York is fun for the whole family or a group of friends who want to interact with various effects, designed to surprise, challenge and amuse, moving around and following a funny and well-articulated path. Patrons will walk through a maze of tricks including rotating barrel, toboggan, vibrating footboard, rolling carpet and a swirling slide exit. Riders must be 47 inches tall to participate without an adult and 41-47 inches tall to enter with an adult. Patrons are not allowed to wear open toed shoes or heels on the ride.
Hulk: Maybe the wildest ride ever to be at the fair, the Hulk is a super spectacular thrill ride which will test the patron’s adrenaline rush. The pendulum ride will swing from right to left; however, it does not stop there—this ride goes 360 degrees over the top. When fully extended the pendulum is about 60 feet in the air. Four cars will hold four riders each for a total of 16 passengers at any one time. With about 15 spins, the ride will last about two minutes, creating maybe the most thrills of any ride at the fair. Patrons must be at least 55 inches tall and no taller than 77 inches. The ride was built in Italy by Technical Park company.
Ice Jet: Maybe the showpiece of the midway, Ice Jet will spin riders fast with music blasting for a ride experience that will take your breath away. With a multitude of LED lights, icy smoke effects, strobe lights and beautiful silver diamond plated deck flooring and a state-of-the-art music system, the ride will transport guests on a trip through the frozen tundra that they will want to get on again and again. The ride was built by Bertazzon Company in Italy Reithoffer said that with the addition of this year’s rides, a total of 13 new rides have been added to the fair in the past two years, at an investment of over $10 million. “I’m convinced that we are the most aggressive company with new purchases of any carnival in the country. We want the patrons at the Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair to have the greatest thrills while they’re at the Fair,” he added.
