Thrill seekers were eager for heart-racing rides at Westerner Days’ midway on Thursday afternoon.
But people didn’t need to hop on the rides to have fun watching their friends and family spin and swoop through the air.
“My daughters and my mom and my niece are all on there and it was hilarious,” said Dru Perry, of Ireland, who captured their ride on the Tilt-a-Wheel on video.
Perry grew up here and it’s been 15 years since she attended Westerner Days.
“I had to bring my kids here because I did this growing up. We had to come and let them try it out too.
“It’s always a good day out. It’s Red Deer. You can’t go wrong,” Perry said.
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Westerner Days Fair & Exposition kicked off Wednesday afternoon. Central Alberta’s biggest summer celebration runs until July 23 with plenty to see and do.
The midway is open from noon to midnight daily with three categories of rides: thrill rides, family rides and kiddie rides.
Suzanne Taylor, of Bentley, went on the gravity defying Rock Star ride with her kids.
“It’s so cool. It’s usually the first one I go to every year. I’ve been on it 30, 40 times probably in my adult life,” said Taylor who had to admit it made her stomach churn a little more than she remembered.
“My stomach gets upset but then I feel better in a bit so I can do it again.”
She said her kids really look forward to Westerner Days and expected they would be having fun at the fair for several more hours.
Karen Wilson, who was in charge of the Puffer Fishes Fishing Game for young children, said the rides were really busy Wednesday night.
“People need to have fun. What better way to do it than bringing them to a fair,” said Wilson, who added it was perfect fair weather.
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“People are so hungry to get back,” said Doo Doo The Clown about the crowds coming to Westerner Days and his shows.
“I’m a fan of Red Deer. It’s a very young-family-orientated fair,” said Doo Doo who has put on shows at Westerner Days for about 20 years.
He said children who used to attend to his shows years ago now bring their own kids. And when teenagers and adults find out he was the clown in the movie Billy Madison starring Adam Sandler, everyone wants to take a selfie with him.
Doo Doo also gets recognized for rescuing two women from a random assault in downtown Toronto in November 2015. Video from his dash cam went viral.
He said K-Days organizers in Edmonton keep calling him, but he’s sticking with Westerner Days in Red Deer where he’s made a lot of friends through the years.
“There’s a lot of love. I’m grateful, and I never take it for granted.”
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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