Arnold Days

There is a problem that needs to be adressed early, We love Arnold Days , and my children love the carnival , What my question is , why are we hiring a company that has clearly 30 to 50 year old rides ,ride operators that are drinking ,drunk ,druged up ,and learing at our young daughters,everything about this company is questionable , maybe there are no other options ,but I feel that this comunity has grown enough to find and afford a more reptuable company ,I know alot of people that dont go to Arnold days because of this. Does anyone else have a problem with this or am I just being a snob , I love Arnold and all that it has to offer , I just hate to see us downgrade when it comes time to celebrate our wonderful town.

I will have to agree with this. I don't know if you can find carnival people that don't fit that mold though. It seems as if they have always looked and acted that way even when I was a kid. The rides are as old as they get and when I see those kids get on some I have to wonder if they will be alive when they come off. Surely there is another company that has a little bit newer of rides and maybe a little cleaner looking people.

sad but true I have to agree that carny people do seem to fit that mold and have since I was a kid and that was a long time ago. In fact when I was a kid we didn't see to many carnivals set up because both the Forest Park Highlands and Chain of Rocks were open plus the small park by downs pool and roller rink were still open and catered to school picnics. The only carnival I really remember from my childhood was a very large one that came to St. Louis every year with rides and all the side shows.
I used to take my kids to Arnold Days when they were young and now at times might take some grandkids. I agree some of the rides do look old and the operators do look dirty.
I imagine when the city makes the deal with the operator of the carnival the city sees and speaks to a man who is probably clean and well spoken and does not see the people who work for this man. It is also possible that this is done through the bidding process.
Maybe one of our council people will see this post and let us know how the city selects which people to hire.
Hopefully this will be a good year.

sad but true wrote:

I will have to agree with this. I don't know if you can find carnival people that don't fit that mold though. It seems as if they have always looked and acted that way even when I was a kid. The rides are as old as they get and when I see those kids get on some I have to wonder if they will be alive when they come off. Surely there is another company that has a little bit newer of rides and maybe a little cleaner looking people.

I couldnt agree more. Only thing is, I wonder if there is a better carnival company out there any more, what with all costs, insurance etc.

This is why I don't want to take my son on the carnival rides. But the, like you said Nick, I wonder if there is a better one out there.

Just wondering if all the council members will be able to ride golf carts and throw out candy this year during the parade or will it again only be a select few ?

Probably just a select few. I don't think that Matt will because he was against it last year. I don't know Mr. Poor's position on it.

ArnoldCC, Just to clarify, I am not against throwing candy in parades and find such a rule against it to be kind of ridiculous, I am however against a select few asking that everyone else abide by a rule which some apparently feel they do not need to abide by. Just an issue I have with hypocrisy.

Honestly, I hope everyone is allowed to throw candy this year. That is as American to me as apple pie and I remember many happy parade memories from my youth scrambling for candy at the VP Fair.

Bottomline, if participants are asked not to throw candy this year, however much I might disagree with the logic behind it, I will abide by the same rules as all other participants and refrain from doing so.

Leo wrote:

ArnoldCC maybe you better check your information before you spout it off, as an editor I would think you would do that. What good is wrong information all the time?

Maybe you should check the other board that Matt has posted on. That is where the fact is. This was debated on another board last year. I did say that I felt Matt would not be doing it. He is not, he is abiding by the rules. He was against the other Council members last year for breaking the rules. Maybe you need to get your facts straight before you go accusing.

And Leo, as a good editor, I had the facts straight. Jealous? I'm starting to think of you as an admirer. You continue posting after me I will think that you want to be me.

Matt Hay wrote:

ArnoldCC, Just to clarify, I am not against throwing candy in parades and find such a rule against it to be kind of ridiculous, I am however against a select few asking that everyone else abide by a rule which some apparently feel they do not need to abide by. Just an issue I have with hypocrisy.
Honestly, I hope everyone is allowed to throw candy this year. That is as American to me as apple pie and I remember many happy parade memories from my youth scrambling for candy at the VP Fair.
Bottomline, if participants are asked not to throw candy this year, however much I might disagree with the logic behind it, I will abide by the same rules as all other participants and refrain from doing so.

LOL a candy fight going on. I agree with Matt on this one. I do not remember anyone ever being hurt by a piece of fly candy but I guess it would be possible if someone were hit in the eye.

My problem is if the city feels this is a safety issue then why was a council person throwing candy breaking the rules.

As Matt stated as ridiculous as this rule is whatever the rule is this year he will abide with it.

Shirley,

I think that what they are afraid of is a parent suing if a piece of thrown candy hurts their child. In today's world we have parents that would sue if a piece of candy even bruised their child. That is sad. I remember catching candy as a child. It is part of the experience and if a parent is afraid of their kid getting hurt, then don't take them.

what they are worried about is the child running out into the parade to pick up candy and getting run over by something or someone and getting hurt that way.

I could be wrong but I thought all of this came out of a hasty decision based on the kid that fell off the float a few years back and died. I can't remember if it was in Kirkwood or Maplewood or what. I think they thought that if kids were running to get the candy they may run under the tire and someone would not see them. Again I think that was the City of Arnold reacting a little hasty. How many years have parades been going on and how many injuries? I was very sad for the family that lost the child but that was a freak accident I think and should not have had a mountain made out of it. In my opinion throw all the candy you want and let the parents worry about their children.

sbt,

I hadn't heard that one, but it could very well be true. I'll look around after I get home and see what I find. I never thought of the kids running after the candy. That is a good thought about why they stopped it. I only thought of the kids getting pelted with the candy.

There have been lots of skinned knees from kids tripping going after the candy. Heck, there have even been kids fighting with each other for that last piece of candy in the street. I agree, there have been lots of injuries, and again, it is part of the experience.

It is the few that ruined it for everyone.

Matt,

Do you know where we can get a current year copy of the parade rules to see if they changed the "candy rule"? All I can find is 2007.

you want to know wrote:

what they are worried about is the child running out into the parade to pick up candy and getting run over by something or someone and getting hurt that way.

As a City it seems funny that we are so worried about this, however, we allow fireworks and playground equipment? Any time a child is injured it is a tragedy, yet more children were killed on playground equipment or injured by fireworks last year than by parades, yet we, as a City, have playground equipment and allow the sales of fireworks. Both of which can be safely used with proper supervision, just as catching candy at a parade can be.

I understand the concern, however, I think that in reality, statistically, it is not a real issue. The real issue is, parents need to be responsible for their children and ensure they stay out of the street. Throwing candy in parades to children has been going on in this country long before any of us have even walked this Earth, and in my opinion is a slice of Americana at its best and is something that I want my child to enjoy as much as I did when I was growing up.

Amen.

I couldn't agree more Matt.... Finally a person with some common sense in City government. You must be a republican. hehehehehehe By the way I am not asking that you tell me what party you fall under. Really don't care either. You seem to have more brains then a few of the others put together.

sad but true

I know of that family and the child fromKirkwood. I think someone was suppose to put a hand rail of some sort up around the float and they ran out of time or just didn't, very sad . the child I believe fell from the float and was ran over, just so you know she wasn't from the crowd chasing candy.