August 22, 2024 • 9 mins
From the IHeart Podcast Parlor at the Allen County Fair, Russ Decker is joined by Gary from Poor Jack's Amusements about what goes into bringing rides and food vendors to the Fair!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And welcome back to another episode of ACF for one
one the podcast live from the Allen County Fairgrounds and
the old Milking Parlor. Now we're calling it our podcast
parlor here with iHeart. I'm your host Russ Decker, and
we want to thank our engineer Alex Wolf making us
sound good this evening.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
We've got a really neat.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Guest in our studio tonight. Gary, you're with Poor Jacks
and Poor Jacks. If you don't know it, that's our rides.
I mean, that's the rides and the games that you
see when you come to the to the midway here
at the Allen County fair And it's probably a lot easier,
not as easy as just you just pull in and
plug something in, is.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It not so much?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Now?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
There's a lot to it.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
So I know that poor Jacks in your family, they've
been you've been doing the rides in games here for
decades a.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Right, correct.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Actually I really didn't think about it to the other day.
I did a little segment with the news people and
this is the forty fifth time, forty fifth year.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Wow, you know for this one.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
So forty five years of Poor Jack's being at the
Allen County Fair. How do you just how do you
decide which rides you bring talma and which ones maybe
go somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Well, that part's not so hard for us. This is
a big event for us, and most of the summer
we divide our stuff up and we usually do two
events a week, smaller things that's more of our forte,
but like half a dozen times over the summer we
combine for a big event. So the question you just ask,
(01:34):
we bring all of our good stuff here. You know,
we don't really have to decide. You know, last year
we had a new little kiddie ride. This year we
have a new big ride. So it always varies a
little bit, and honestly, we have some stuff to rotate,
you know, so it's not the same stuff every year.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
But mostly that's my answer. We bring all the good
stuff and so you bring rides, you bring games, and
you bring concessions. Right foot, TREI, let me share.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Yeah, how many total units do you have here at the.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Allen County Fair?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well, I believe if I was just counting those things
up or just looking at that list earlier, there's about
thirteen or fourteen food trailers, and I think there's about
twenty games that we bring. There's some other stuff too
that the fair has.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yes, yep, So let's talk about the rides and ride
safety because I know I've talked to you in the
past in a different role, and I know safety.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Is important to you.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
So but for people who don't know, you can't just
come in here, set the ride up and start putting
people on it.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
No.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
No, we get inspected on a weekly basis by the state.
And last week I was actually at Mercer County Fair
with a smaller outfit, and all the stuff we had
was initially inspected last week there and then we come
here and the new stuff we had this week for
(03:01):
our bigger event. We uh, we got it all inspected
on Thursday and Friday. So yeah, And honestly, I don't
have a lot of experience. We only operate in Indian
and Ohio. But but I know that the Indiana or
the Ohio program, those the guys are really good and
uh and I know the reputation is really good also,
(03:24):
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
So they're with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, yes, and
that's what their their jobs are to be ride inspectors.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
That's yeah, somebody's.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Setting up there there to make sure it's put together correctly.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
I think, like a lot of places, they don't really
have enough help. So the guys they they put long
days in all summer doing this job, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
And I actually have talked to those guys in the past,
and it's amazing the things they look at because they're
not just looking at did you put all the nuts
and bolts in, but what's the metallurgic health look like
of that of that race or whatever? And when was
the last time it was tested? And it's pretty in
depth their inspections.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
It is, Yes, it really is. There's a lot to it.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
So, I mean, you know, we were talking about you know,
you've you know, with kids and grandkids, you would not
worry at all about your grandkids being on theirs.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Riots, right, No, And I have grandkids that when we're close,
they ride all the time.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Yeah, So because I just I think, you know, I know,
safety is really uppermost in your mind when you're putting
those together and the people who are operating them. But
let's talk about when we get bad weather, because occasionally
we'll see where you guys will shut down some rides
and let other rides go. It might be about wind,
it might be about moisture, rain or whatever. How do
(04:39):
you make those determinations about in the interest of safety,
we're going to shut this ride.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Down for one Okay, Well, mostly it's a judgment thing
for us, and I think we are pretty.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Experienced that that.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
You know, we have all the particularly the high rides,
they all have like limits to like wind limits and
stuff that we should pay attention to. But mostly it
has to be really a storm, you know, to cause
the problem. Rain wise, there's a few things that just
because the drive system won't operate really if they get
(05:17):
really wet, like maybe in a sprinkle, you know, we
can still operate for but there's several things that won't
operate if we get like a downpour, because we got
to get them dried out again before their go. But
and then the other thing is, I don't know, people
always are concerned about the high rides, but you know,
(05:38):
if it's a lightning storm, I think the lightning can
get anywhere no matter what. So that's that's one we
probably watched more than anything.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
You know, Yeah, yeah, I mean, well, lots of metal
out there, and wet metal obviously.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
You never know.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
I work at a chemical plants or doing the same
thing with the lightnings in the area.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Last thing we want is people up on metal structure.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
So so I'm looking at here and I'm seeing some
really neat rides that you know, the higher what's that?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
And I know there's no typical, but.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
If you're buying a new ride for your company, what's
a new ride cost?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
If so, if you're gonna buy a new Ferris Wheel
this year, what would what would a Ferris will cost? Uh?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
The one, the big, the big wheel like we have
is about seven hundred thousand now.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
And we have several rides, the Fireball ride, which is
that big circle thing that's basically I know for a
fact you know that there was one a new one
just sold this summer million dollars, and we have two
or three others that are in that class, the freak
outs in that class or maybe a little more. Uh So, Yeah,
(06:46):
it's not cheap, it's all. It's getting to be almost
cost prohibity, you know, but hopefully we can keep doing it.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Well.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
You know, we talked about the same thing when we
were talking about the concerts.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Because to get a name that people know by that time,
you hire the artists and then you bring in.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
A stage of lights, the sound and all the stuff
that goes with it.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
You know, you're dropping seven hundred and fifty thousand to
a million dollars just for a name that people know.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
And I don't think most folks realize that. And they're like, well,
so that's why the ticket costs with the ticket costs.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah, like you know, people question that all the time,
same as they question like our armband prices, and but
they really don't know, you know, they don't understand all
that goes into it, and just the.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Cost of operation.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
It's amazing. I don't know if it's amazing. I don't
know if that's the right word. But just our transportation
costs to move all this equipment from one place to
the next place. Most people be shocked by that, you know.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And fuel prices aren't really go now, No, how many
how many events were you playing a year?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Why?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I told you we most of the time we operate
to a week. Once we get rolling in the springtime,
we get started with one, we get the second one
going in mid July is the first couple of times
we join up. But this year our season is twenty
seven weeks and I don't. It was I think thirty
(08:15):
six events last year, and I think it's the same
number this year if I counted right.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
But so a lot of different places. Yeah, and how
many people are you moving with you each week?
Speaker 3 (08:26):
That's a good question too. We we actually have almost
fifty people just to operate the rides. But a lot
of the most of the a lot of concession stuff
is family stuff I have. I have four siblings and
their families, which includes some nieces and nephews. Now that's
(08:46):
that are in it, you know. And I have like
four different cousins involved in the operation. So we have
a lot of family, but including all the games and
the food that travels with us. I mean, I'm sure
we're over one hundred people that you know. I don't
keep track exactly. I'm in how much help they all have,
but but there's a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
So forty five years Port Jack's been coming to the
Allen County Fair. Let's hope you do another forty five maybe,
I hope. So all right, Jerry, thanks for.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Coming in and being with us in the podcast studio today.
Thank you. Ros We'll be back with more ACF four
one one after this
And welcome back to another episode of ACF for one
one the podcast live from the Allen County Fairgrounds and
the old Milking Parlor. Now we're calling it our podcast
parlor here with iHeart. I'm your host Russ Decker, and
we want to thank our engineer Alex Wolf making us
sound good this evening.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
We've got a really neat.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Guest in our studio tonight. Gary, you're with Poor Jacks
and Poor Jacks. If you don't know it, that's our rides.
I mean, that's the rides and the games that you
see when you come to the to the midway here
at the Allen County fair And it's probably a lot easier,
not as easy as just you just pull in and
plug something in, is.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It not so much?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Now?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
There's a lot to it.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
So I know that poor Jacks in your family, they've
been you've been doing the rides in games here for
decades a.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Right, correct.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Actually I really didn't think about it to the other day.
I did a little segment with the news people and
this is the forty fifth time, forty fifth year.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Wow, you know for this one.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
So forty five years of Poor Jack's being at the
Allen County Fair. How do you just how do you
decide which rides you bring talma and which ones maybe
go somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Well, that part's not so hard for us. This is
a big event for us, and most of the summer
we divide our stuff up and we usually do two
events a week, smaller things that's more of our forte,
but like half a dozen times over the summer we
combine for a big event. So the question you just ask,
(01:34):
we bring all of our good stuff here. You know,
we don't really have to decide. You know, last year
we had a new little kiddie ride. This year we
have a new big ride. So it always varies a
little bit, and honestly, we have some stuff to rotate,
you know, so it's not the same stuff every year.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
But mostly that's my answer. We bring all the good
stuff and so you bring rides, you bring games, and
you bring concessions. Right foot, TREI, let me share.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Yeah, how many total units do you have here at the.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Allen County Fair?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well, I believe if I was just counting those things
up or just looking at that list earlier, there's about
thirteen or fourteen food trailers, and I think there's about
twenty games that we bring. There's some other stuff too
that the fair has.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yes, yep, So let's talk about the rides and ride
safety because I know I've talked to you in the
past in a different role, and I know safety.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Is important to you.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
So but for people who don't know, you can't just
come in here, set the ride up and start putting
people on it.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
No.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
No, we get inspected on a weekly basis by the state.
And last week I was actually at Mercer County Fair
with a smaller outfit, and all the stuff we had
was initially inspected last week there and then we come
here and the new stuff we had this week for
(03:01):
our bigger event. We uh, we got it all inspected
on Thursday and Friday. So yeah, And honestly, I don't
have a lot of experience. We only operate in Indian
and Ohio. But but I know that the Indiana or
the Ohio program, those the guys are really good and
uh and I know the reputation is really good also,
(03:24):
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
So they're with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, yes, and
that's what their their jobs are to be ride inspectors.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
That's yeah, somebody's.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Setting up there there to make sure it's put together correctly.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
I think, like a lot of places, they don't really
have enough help. So the guys they they put long
days in all summer doing this job, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
And I actually have talked to those guys in the past,
and it's amazing the things they look at because they're
not just looking at did you put all the nuts
and bolts in, but what's the metallurgic health look like
of that of that race or whatever? And when was
the last time it was tested? And it's pretty in
depth their inspections.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
It is, Yes, it really is. There's a lot to it.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
So, I mean, you know, we were talking about you know,
you've you know, with kids and grandkids, you would not
worry at all about your grandkids being on theirs.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Riots, right, No, And I have grandkids that when we're close,
they ride all the time.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Yeah, So because I just I think, you know, I know,
safety is really uppermost in your mind when you're putting
those together and the people who are operating them. But
let's talk about when we get bad weather, because occasionally
we'll see where you guys will shut down some rides
and let other rides go. It might be about wind,
it might be about moisture, rain or whatever. How do
(04:39):
you make those determinations about in the interest of safety,
we're going to shut this ride.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Down for one Okay, Well, mostly it's a judgment thing
for us, and I think we are pretty.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Experienced that that.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
You know, we have all the particularly the high rides,
they all have like limits to like wind limits and
stuff that we should pay attention to. But mostly it
has to be really a storm, you know, to cause
the problem. Rain wise, there's a few things that just
because the drive system won't operate really if they get
(05:17):
really wet, like maybe in a sprinkle, you know, we
can still operate for but there's several things that won't
operate if we get like a downpour, because we got
to get them dried out again before their go. But
and then the other thing is, I don't know, people
always are concerned about the high rides, but you know,
(05:38):
if it's a lightning storm, I think the lightning can
get anywhere no matter what. So that's that's one we
probably watched more than anything.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
You know, Yeah, yeah, I mean, well, lots of metal
out there, and wet metal obviously.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
You never know.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
I work at a chemical plants or doing the same
thing with the lightnings in the area.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Last thing we want is people up on metal structure.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
So so I'm looking at here and I'm seeing some
really neat rides that you know, the higher what's that?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
And I know there's no typical, but.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
If you're buying a new ride for your company, what's
a new ride cost?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
If so, if you're gonna buy a new Ferris Wheel
this year, what would what would a Ferris will cost? Uh?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
The one, the big, the big wheel like we have
is about seven hundred thousand now.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
And we have several rides, the Fireball ride, which is
that big circle thing that's basically I know for a
fact you know that there was one a new one
just sold this summer million dollars, and we have two
or three others that are in that class, the freak
outs in that class or maybe a little more. Uh So, Yeah,
(06:46):
it's not cheap, it's all. It's getting to be almost
cost prohibity, you know, but hopefully we can keep doing it.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Well.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
You know, we talked about the same thing when we
were talking about the concerts.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Because to get a name that people know by that time,
you hire the artists and then you bring in.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
A stage of lights, the sound and all the stuff
that goes with it.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
You know, you're dropping seven hundred and fifty thousand to
a million dollars just for a name that people know.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
And I don't think most folks realize that. And they're like, well,
so that's why the ticket costs with the ticket costs.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah, like you know, people question that all the time,
same as they question like our armband prices, and but
they really don't know, you know, they don't understand all
that goes into it, and just the.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Cost of operation.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
It's amazing. I don't know if it's amazing. I don't
know if that's the right word. But just our transportation
costs to move all this equipment from one place to
the next place. Most people be shocked by that, you know.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And fuel prices aren't really go now, No, how many
how many events were you playing a year?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Why?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I told you we most of the time we operate
to a week. Once we get rolling in the springtime,
we get started with one, we get the second one
going in mid July is the first couple of times
we join up. But this year our season is twenty
seven weeks and I don't. It was I think thirty
(08:15):
six events last year, and I think it's the same
number this year if I counted right.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
But so a lot of different places. Yeah, and how
many people are you moving with you each week?
Speaker 3 (08:26):
That's a good question too. We we actually have almost
fifty people just to operate the rides. But a lot
of the most of the a lot of concession stuff
is family stuff I have. I have four siblings and
their families, which includes some nieces and nephews. Now that's
(08:46):
that are in it, you know. And I have like
four different cousins involved in the operation. So we have
a lot of family, but including all the games and
the food that travels with us. I mean, I'm sure
we're over one hundred people that you know. I don't
keep track exactly. I'm in how much help they all have,
but but there's a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
So forty five years Port Jack's been coming to the
Allen County Fair. Let's hope you do another forty five maybe,
I hope. So all right, Jerry, thanks for.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Coming in and being with us in the podcast studio today.
Thank you. Ros We'll be back with more ACF four
one one after this
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.