Skerbeck Carnival returns to Montcalm County 4-H Fair

An old favorite returns to the M o n t c a l m County 4-H Fair this year. Skerbeck Carnival, a fixture on the midway for many years will be back with new and exciting rides, games, and food.

Scheduling conflicts forced the fair board to go with another carnival ride provider the past couple of years, explains Pat Schuster, fair board president.

“We are very happy we could work things out so we could get Skerbeck back to Greenville,” Schuster says, “They put on an excellent carnival and are great people to work with.” The Skerbeck carnival, based in Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in Escanaba, has been in the family business for six generations, and the family is promising a seventh generation to continue the carnival tradition.

The Skerbeck family starts out around Memorial Day and goes until after Labor Day, traveling around Michigan and the Midwest. Every week they set up in at least one location for a fair or festival.

Many times they are set up in two locations each week.

Skerbecks own enough rides so they can run two separate midways most of the summer. Brothers Joe and Bill Skerbeck each take responsibility for one of the carnivals.

“With the number of rides we have,” said Joe Skerbeck, “we can change things up every year or even weekly, so we don’t look like the same old carnival when we visit our regular stops.” The carnival will open Tuesday evening, July 6.

There are pay-one-price ride specials scheduled for each day of the fair. The best deal is Kids Day, Wednesday, July 7.

In addition to the free Kids Day games, giveaways and events, Skerbeck will offer a wristband special of $14 to ride all day, from noon until closing.

Skerb eck Carnival hist ory In 1857, the Frank Skerbeck family decided to trade their linen factory for a circus in Aussig, Bohemia. After a period of training, Frank’s son (also named Frank) toured as a circus performer in America with P.T. Barnum’s show in the 1870s.

Frank “fell in love” with America and immigrated in 1880.

Frank settled in Dorchester, Wisconsin, and started up a circus with his family in 1882.

Frank and his children toured the Great Lake States as circus performers in the 1880s and the 1890s.

In 1893, Frank attended the Columbian Exposition World’s Fair in Chicago.

At this event, Frank saw George Ferris’s innovation, the Giant Ferris Wheel. This tremendous mechanical invention directly led to the birth of the American carnival.

As a result of what he saw at the Columbian Exposition, Frank bought his first merry-go-round in 1897. Over the next few years, he transitioned his business from the traditional circus to a carnival operation.

Frank’s son, Joe, operated Wild West shows, medicine shows, and traveling attractions of all types. By 1908, he joined his father in the carnival business.

Joe’s children, Eugene and Pauline, took over the ownership of the show in 1952, and operated it as Skerbeck Amusement Company until 1971.

Eugene’s sons, Joe and Bill, took over ownership in 1972 and have operated it as Skerbeck Brothers Shows since that time.

Since 1972, the show has more than doubled in size through acquisition and growth.

Joe and Bill Skerbeck are the 5th generation of the family in the business and the next generation is already involved in the management of the show.