The idea I found most interesting about the primary sources in the reader was that the carnival atmosphere is created not by the gaiety of the people but by the structural organization of the park. Frederic Thompson, the architectural genius behind Luna Park, knew that in order for an amusement park to prosper, it had to contain amusing aspects in it for the audience. I had always imagined that the people made the parks, not the other way around.
Thompson notes that the "spirit of gaiety, the carnival spirit, is not spontaneous, except on extraordinary levels" (2). Less than 10 minutes from my house in Essex Junction, Vermont, an annual exposition is held. It contains concerts, shows, rides, food, and animals, as well as much more entertainment for all ages. I know everyone, even if they have been to the fair twenty or thirty times, always looks forward to going once again at the beginning of September. I knew that everyone you enjoyed the event became excited to go, I never thought about how much thought goes into the layout of all the attractions. At one end of the fair there are rides lined up in a U shape, with aisles of games beckoning to passer-bys to come spend money on cheap, worthless prizes, and pay money on expensive tickets for each ride. Toward the middle we have aisles of food, all smelling sweet, delicious, and fattening. Of course the cheapest hot dog around is $3. It's easy to blow off twenty plus dollars in one meal: homemade lemonade ($5), a bloomin' onion ($4), a Philly cheese steak sandwich ($6), earn of corn smothered in butter ($3), and fried dough ($5). On the far end are the buildings housed with all sorts of venders trying to get the visitors to buy jacuzzis, furniture, a pool, or maybe new windows. Also, there is a farm animal section where kids of all ages can feed the goats, ride the horses, and sometimes even ride a camel. The main attraction located in the grandstands include tractor pulling and nightly concerts, even bringing teen pop sensation Justin Beiber to Vermont.
Everyone is happy at the fair, just as they were at Coney Island, caught up in the carnival spirit. However, it's not the people that bring the mood to the environment, it's the attractions which create, maintain, and restore the happiness and care-free living which amusement parks deliver. The engineering of all the aspects takes great planning and care to ensure that the way entertainment flows will create the most amusement, helping the park to prosper and attract an even greater mass of participants.
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