carnies
Traveling fair employees
Carnies are the workers who operate carnival rides, games, and attractions.
The term carries connotations of transience and seediness—carnies travel from town to town, live in trailers, and have a reputation (fair or not) for running rigged games and living rough: The carnies were setting up the Ferris wheel when we arrived.
Sometimes used dismissively for anyone who seems shabby or untrustworthy.
Circus performance director
- fire-eatersPerformers ingesting flames
- sword-swallowersArtists who ingest blades
- contortionistsPerformers with extreme flexibility
- trapezeSuspended acrobatic bar
tightrope · jugglers · acrobats · strongman · snake charmer · fortune-teller · magicians · illusionists
Equidistant from both ends
- ridesTravels aboard something
- cotton candySpun sugar confection
- funnel cakeFried batter lattice dessert
- gamesOrganized competitive activities
prizes · tickets · carousel · ferris wheel · roller coaster · bumper cars · arcade · concessions
Moving from place to place
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
- circuitClosed electrical pathway
- setupHow something is arranged
teardown · lot · trailer · caravan · advance man · route · jump · winter quarters
Visible impression or sign
- rubeNaive country person
- townieNon-student area resident
- with itCulturally informed, aware
- gaffBarbed fishing pole
grift · ding · flash · slum · plush · paper · red light · beef
Unskilled laborers, often itinerant
- concessionairesLicensed retail operators
- talkersThose who speak
- shillsPaid fake endorsers
- agentOne who acts independently
fixer · patch · with it · showfolk · behind the scenes · setup crew
ringmaster
Circus performance director
- fire-eatersPerformers ingesting flames
- sword-swallowersArtists who ingest blades
- contortionistsPerformers with extreme flexibility
trapeze · tightrope · jugglers · acrobats · strongman · snake charmer · fortune-teller · magicians · illusionists · sideshow
midway
Equidistant from both ends
- ridesTravels aboard something
- cotton candySpun sugar confection
- funnel cakeFried batter lattice dessert
games · prizes · tickets · carousel · ferris wheel · roller coaster · bumper cars · arcade · concessions · popcorn
traveling
Moving from place to place
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
- circuitClosed electrical pathway
setup · teardown · lot · trailer · caravan · advance man · route · jump · winter quarters · tent city
mark
Visible impression or sign
gaff · grift · ding · flash · slum · plush · paper · red light · beef · heat
roustabouts
Unskilled laborers, often itinerant
- concessionairesLicensed retail operators
- talkersThose who speak
- shillsPaid fake endorsers
agent · fixer · patch · with it · showfolk · behind the scenes · setup crew
- carnivalparade, costume, float, ferris wheel, roller coaster
- fairgroundsfairground, ferris wheel, carousel, cotton candy, funnel cake
- nomadsnomad, nomadism, Bedouin, wanderer, roaming
- travelerspassenger, travelers, traveler, tourist, vacationers
- eventgoerspatrons, visitors, crowds, regulars, spectators
carniestownies
Permanent residents near campus
locals · suburbanites · homeowners · homebodies · nine-to-fivers
- carnival ridesMechanical amusements at fairs
- carnival gameBooth competition for prizes
- carnival barkerFairground attraction promoter
- winter carnivalCold-season outdoor celebration
- carnival prizeAward from midway games
- school carnivalCampus fundraising festival