Carnivals... What's the attraction?

The draw of carnival rides is something I have never understood.  It is almost an unspoken expectation that sickness will follow, and the safety of rides constantly being deconstructed then put back together is questionable at best.  So then why are their masses of people flocking to wait in line for the “thrill” that, to most, is not all that thrilling?  This past weekend as I wandered through the San Benito County Fair, I asked myself this exact question.  Why is this exciting?  The rest of the fair activities have a draw I understand, but what keeps people at the carnival until late into the night.

Then it hit me.  Every one of the people present cannot be there for the rides.  One ride is pretty similar to the next.  It has to be the other aspects of the experience that make the rides so popular.   The lights that illuminate the rides that spin and drop, the colors used in the playful paintings, the flashing signs advertising popcorn and cotton candy vendors, the booths that make the idea of winning a goldfish by tossing a ball into a bowl seem so desirable.  Perhaps even the hint of danger that the rides may be unsafe is an attractive element.  The design of the carnival has obviously been carefully executed. It is meant to draw children and adults alike to desire to spend their time, and thus their money on carnival games and tickets.  The idea of rides is just what gets them in the gate, but it’s the strategic design of the carnival that keeps the crowds flocking. 

This answer came to me after I observed a child crying on a ride and then getting off, wiping his tears, then getting into another line appearing completely unfazed.   Even though he was unhappy on the ride, he still had no desire to leave the fair.  It was clear that the child wanted to continue to be a part of the experience.  He was excited by all the visual, auditory, and olfactory stimulation surrounding the rides, and traveling carnival designers know this.   They are master potion makers whom certainly have the recipe down to a science.