Fun starts tonight, full fair opens on Friday
SIERRA VISTA — For two days now, crews working for Midway West Amusements, the carnival contracted for Frontier Days, have been setting up an assortment of rides.
Midway West Amusements worker Creighton Begay helps to set up the Gravitron ride Wednesday in Sierra Vista. The carnival will be part of this weekend’s Frontier Days event. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review)
While Frontier Days officially kicks off on Friday, with Men’s Professional Bull Riding as the anchor event, Midway West will be ready at 6 p.m. today with a selection of rides for kids and adults.
The family-oriented carnival has rides from the hair-raising Gravitron to the kid-friendly Carousel.
Owned by Phoenix natives Nathan and Michelle Jensen, Midway West is a family owned and operated business. There always is an owner on site to oversee that all attractions run smoothly and safely.
“It gives our customers a certain peace of mind to know that any issues that might arise will be dealt with immediately by one of the owners,” Nathan Jensen said.
The Jensens have six children and understand the importance of running a clean and safe carnival. Jensen said they are serious about cleanliness, offering a family atmosphere where people of all ages have fun, paying close attention to customer satisfaction.
“Our goal is to provide wholesome, safe and fun attractions to entertain our patrons,” Jensen said. “We know that customer satisfaction translates to repeat business.”
Jensen has been in the carnival business for about 32 years. He spent the first 12 years working for Great Western Carnival, in every aspect of the business. His experience includes games, food, amusement rides and maintenance. He believes that the hands-on experience he gleaned as an employee gave him the expertise to run a top-notch carnival.
His wife, Michelle, was born in the carnival business, spending summer vacations working for her parents while growing up in Phoenix. She and Nathan met while attending the University of Arizona in Tucson and were married after they graduated.
Midway West is offering 13 rides, including a Ferris Wheel, Zipper, Gravitron, Carousel, Motorcycles and a Berry-Go-Round.
Frontier Days, a three-day fair that runs Friday through Sunday, will be on the Sierra Vista Riding Club grounds, located at 401 Guilio Cesare Ave. The carnival, which will be up and running one day early, is just one item in a list of attractions that Frontier Days is offering. Other events include men’s professional bull riding on Friday, the All Women’s Professional Rodeo on Saturday and Sunday, three stages with ongoing entertainment, canine demonstrations, a motor corral, a beer garden and a number of vendor booths.
Proceeds from Frontier Days will benefit Cochise County Workforce Development and its services, which includes helping the unemployed find jobs.
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