6 replies to this topic

[The Stig]

The Strawberry Festival is an annual festival in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. The festival celebrates and honors the dedication of the region's farmers. It also marks the height of strawberry season. So, why the strawberry? Because it's the freakin' state fruit! Why Ponchatoula? Because Ponchy is the strawberry capital of the world! Next to Mardi Gras, the Strawberry Festival is the 2nd largest festival in Louisiana. Last year, the estimated crowd was well over 300,000.

It did more than that. As a kid, it gave me the opportunity to ride enough rides to hold me over until the big family summer vacation.

Here's my trip report from today:



The day started with a parade because in Louisiana, we need a parade for everything.



You're staring down the main street of Ponchatoula, La.











So the parade lasted about two hours or something. Everyone was throwing small candies and cheap beads, the kind with the snap in the middle so you can string them together. I managed to catch a pink one because the hot girl totally threw it to me.

After the parade is usually when the old folks go rummaging around the town's antique stores looking for stuff that is no longer made. "Look, Honey. Remember when sewing machines were powered with your foot?"

But not me. I had better things to do.



I'm about to get my ride on.



Since I was a kid, the general rule has always been this: The Strawberry Festival always has the best rides.





...And this year was no different.



I like to imagine that the Strawberry Festival is the redneck equivalent of Oktoberfest.



The Strawberry Festival is the place where you were most likely to see a carnival company's newest ride...



...And this bad boy here was this year's newest addition: FreakOut.

I totally rode this. Yup, this was the only ride I rode.
"Holy crap, Chris! You only rode one ride?" Yes. I most certainly did. And here's why: A ride on the FreakOut will set you back 4 tickets.... And the price on tickets is set at $1.00 each. So four dollars sounds pretty steep for a ride, right? Wait, we haven't gotten to the best part yet.

...A ride on FreakOut lasts 30 seconds. Thirty Effin' Seconds! Do the math. That's $8.00 a minute. And you're not even getting a full minute.
This is why the Europeans make fun of us, damnit. Our rides are way too short. I also believe this is why the Koreans hate us.

Anyways, I was sure to make the most out of my four dollars, as seen here in this YouTube video:




By now you're getting kinda hungry, right?
Well, Ponchatoula's got your back, Bud. Look around you, there's a bountiful feast of boiled crawfish and fried alligator just dying to be had.



... Or you can have the corndog, you Pansy.



I found a church booth that was handing out FREE water! Praise Jesus!

But you can't call your day at the Strawberry Festival complete without downing one of these monsters:



No, it's not a slushie.



And while you're in downtown, you can check out the local scenery.



... Like this real, live, out of focus alligator!



... And this train. There's some history behind it, and it's written on a sign but who cares?



Anyways, I remember as a kid they used to let you climb on it. And it was cool as hell.
But one day some stupid kid fell off of it and broke his leg or something. Then the mom went and got her panties all in a bunch so the city put up this fence. Now you can't climb on it.

Ponchatoula's got more than just berries and old trains. They've got a crap-ton of antique stores. Really, there's one on, like, every block.
Here's some cool stuff I came across during my adventure on memory lane.



You see that bear? My brother and I each used to have one. You'd press the red spot on it's hand and it's nose would light up. And you're supposed to talk to it. Then when you let go of the button, it'd repeat what you just said. It's a lot like those repeating parrots, except this one was a brown bear... in a freaking suit!.... A SUIT!



Holy crap! Is that an Atari 2600? My brother and I used to have one of those! We used to play the hell out of Pitfall, Pac Man, Frogger, and, yes, even E.T.
80's technology at it's finest.



... And there you have it. A day at the fair, re-living a childhood tradition, and having new adventures along the way.

[rollercoasterfanatic919]

Awesome report, sounds like a fun time. I liked your captions/commentary.

[Micro Mike 21]

It really looks like fun! I wish I was there.

EDIT:

Spoiler

For some reason, looking at the strawberry drinks, I want a strawberry slushie.....

[Jumpge]

That looks like so much fun! Fried alligator is awesome and crawfish is awesome!

[Maxlaam]

Oh my, that ride was way too short. I've never ridden a KMG freak-out, yet. But I have ridden a couple of KMG Afterburners, which basically is the same except the Freak-Out swings towards the public and the Afterburner sideways. A true shame, I've gotten rides that lasted at least 7 minutes, just some gentle swinging at the start, the the seats rotate at their maximum speed, then gentle again and then everything to the highest setting. Then repeat that 2 more times, with some great operator shouts, jingles and music. Yeah, where was the music?

[The Stig]

^ None of the rides played music. Instead, later in the day, they had some live bands playing on stage right next to this ride.
I've ridden a Huss Frisbee, and a Huss Giant Frisbee. I was a little surprised at how fast this spun. On the first swing, you're spinning fast enough to pin you into the seat.
It was pretty badass how far this thing swings off it's trailer.

It was also my first time seeing Vertigo (the mini Star Flyer). What surprised me about it was that the whole freaking tower spins, not just the hub.

Edited by The Stig, 13 April 2013 - 07:23 PM.

[Maxlaam]

^ None of the rides played music. Instead, later in the day, they had some live bands playing on stage right next to this ride.
I've ridden a Huss Frisbee, and a Huss Giant Frisbee. I was a little surprised at how fast this spun. On the first swing, you're spinning fast enough to pin you into the seat.
It was pretty badass how far this thing swings off it's trailer.

The bottom of the trailer is hollow, they fill it up with water to make it more stable. Not 100% sure if this is actually the case with the Freak Out, but the Inversion which base is similar but the ride is slightly different. I compared the trailers side by side and they both seem to have those ballast tanks.

It was also my first time seeing Vertigo (the mini Star Flyer). What surprised me about it was that the whole freaking tower spins, not just the hub.

That way they can be trailer mounted, it's more stable that way. The larger Star Flyers need multiple trailers, where one of the trailers fulfils the job of being the base and carrying a few other things like flooring, lights and the ticketbooth. These don't rotate around their base

Edited by Maxlaam, 13 April 2013 - 08:29 PM.