Powers Great American Midways (PGAM) is a family operated

traveling carnival A traveling carnival (US English), usually simply called a carnival, or travelling funfair (UK English), is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, ...

midway company based in

Corfu, New York Corfu is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 709 at the 2010 census. It is named after the Greek island of Corfu. The village of Corfu lies along the southern edge of the town of Pembroke; about within the ...

.Powers Great American Midways (Contact PGAM)
Retrieved Oct. 25, 2015. It provides

amusement ride Amusement rides, sometimes called carnival rides, are mechanical devices or structures that move people especially kids to create fun and enjoyment. Rides are often perceived by many as being scary or more dangerous than they actually are. This ...

s, games and concessions for local, county and state fairs throughout the eastern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

.Powers Great American Midways (About Us)
Retrieved Oct. 25, 2015. The business is a

trade name A trade name, trading name, or business name, is a pseudonym used by companies that do not operate under their registered company name. The term for this type of alternative name is a "fictitious" business name. Registering the fictitious name w ...

of Amusements of Rochester, Inc.Multimedia Journalism, ''Powers Great American Midways Builds Business on Family Values, Maintains Carnival Nostalgia'' by Claire Esparros, March 20, 2013
Retrieved Oct. 25, 2015.New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations (Amusements of Rochester, Inc.)
Retrieved Oct. 25, 2015.

History

Powers Great American Midways was formed in 1980 in

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located in W ...

by current owner and operator Les "Corky" Powers. The company originally began as a 10-to-12 ride local carnival which traveled around New York and

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. It has since expanded to around 70 rides, composed of two units which can split and provide midways to smaller venues on their route throughout the eastern United States.North Carolina State Fair (N.C. State Fair Historical Timeline)
, Retrieved Oct. 25, 2015. A full-time refurbishing facility is located in Burgaw, North Carolina, operated year-round since 1994, where PGAM rides and equipment can be maintained. It also serves as the winter quarters.Business North Carolina, ''Game of chance. That’s how Corky Powers won the State Fair midway contract. But will his fortune be tolled?'' by Edward Martin, September 2006
, Retrieved Oct. 25, 2015. The facility has occasionally been used by the North Carolina Department of Labor for training ride inspection personnel.
Retrieved Oct. 25, 2015. Like other carnival midway companies, many PGAM rides have recently become eco-friendly including the use of LED lighting and

biodiesel Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel derived from plants or animals and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made by chemically reacting lipids such as animal fat ( tallow), soybean oil, or some other vegetable oil ...

fueled generators. In 2006, PGAM was awarded a contract to provide the midway at the

North Carolina State Fair The North Carolina State Fair is an American state fair and agricultural exposition held annually in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1853, the fair is organized by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It attrac ...

. They continue to operate it today. Other notable events the company currently works include the Great Allentown Fair in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the Big Butler Fair in

Prospect, Pennsylvania Prospect is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough had a population of 1,169. Geography Prospect is located in western Butler County at (40.904113, -80.046430). U.S. Route 422, a limited-acce ...

and the

Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival ("The Bloom") is a 14-day festival held annually in spring in Winchester, Virginia. First held in 1924, it is one of the oldest civic celebrations in the Commonwealth of Virginia. History The festival was f ...

Winchester, Virginia Winchester is the most north western independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Frederick County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Winchester wit ...

.Powers Great American Midways (Route Schedule)
Retrieved Oct. 25, 2015.

Notes

{{reflist

External links

Powers Great American Midways (Official Site)
Traveling carnivals Amusement park companies Festivals in the United States Companies established in 1980 Privately held companies based in New York (state)