By Kate Bartlett
Before the days of computer-based thrill amusement park rides, County Fairs focused on variety entertainment in the form of animal menagerie, motor shows, oddities and burlesque-style dance productions featuring live music. In celebration of the 100-year anniversary between the James E. Strates Shows and the Erie County Agricultural Society, a classic carnival attraction will be showcased at the 184th Erie County Fair. The exclusive partnership is a historical milestone in the modern amusement industry and is considered the longest continuous run of any carnival midway in the United States.
The “Wild Wheels Thrill Arena,” a vintage “wall of death” motordrome show, will be featured during the first eight days of the Fair, August 7-14. Six, 20-minute shows will be performed on these dates. Shows are free with paid admission to the Erie County Fair.
“This is the first time since 1979 that a motordrome show has been part of Strates Shows at the Erie County Fair,” said Marty Biniasz, Strates Shows press agent. “The Strates Family is excited to present this retro attraction as Strates look back at a century of family fun in Western New York.”
The thrill arena motordrome is a silo-shaped, wooden cylinder inside a tented structure. Upon entering, guests watch as daredevil riders mount vintage Indian & Harley Davidson motorcycles to defy gravity on a vertical wall, performing high-speed acrobatic tricks. Spectators will experience the loud rattle of screaming motors, smell the burning of squealing tires and will feel the rush of wind as cycles speed past just inches away from view.
The motordome arena was built by Danny Weil, owner of the “Wild Wheels Thrill Arena,” using plans from structures used in the 1930s and 1940s. He takes great pride in presenting this authentic attraction.
“We are dedicated to the preservation of the lost art of live traveling thrill show entertainment,” says Weil. “There are only two operating attractions like this in North America. For many, this will be a first-time experience that they’ll remember for years to come.”