North American Midway Entertainment

What North American Midway Entertainment does

North American Midway Entertainment (NAME) is the largest traveling outdoor amusement company in North America, providing turnkey carnival midway services to fairs, festivals, corporate events, and film/TV productions across the United States and Canada. Founded in 2004 through the roll-up of four outdoor amusement operators (Conklin Shows, Farrow Shows, Astro Amusements, AllStar Amusements) and expanded in 2005 with Mid-America Shows, NAME currently operates an inventory of 200+ rides, games, and food concessions, serving 120+ annual events and 15–17M+ attendees. The company is privately held by owner Danny Huston, who re-took the company private from NYSE-listed Townsquare Media in June 2018, and is headquartered in Farmland, Indiana, with 1,001–5,000 employees.

NAME's core offering is a modular, tiered midway service packaged into four configurations: Rent (1–20+ rides, 0.25+ acres, corporate events); Gold (6–19+ rides, 25K–100K attendees, 1–5+ acres, county fairs); Platinum (20–39+ rides, 100K–500K attendees, 6–10+ acres, state fairs); and Diamond (40+ rides, 500K+ attendees, 6+ acres, national exhibitions). The technology layer is largely physical — ride engineering, fleet rotation, bi-annual non-destructive testing (NDT) for every ride in inventory, on-site Safety Coordinators, and dual US/Canada licensing — supported by a 2024 digital ticketing partnership with Funtagg. The company also operates corporate branding services, film/TV location services, and carnival games and food concessions.

The business model is predominantly B2B services revenue generated through multi-year contracts with event organizers (county, state, and national fair boards, exhibition associations, and corporate event planners), supplemented by transactional ride and equipment rentals, corporate branding fees, and film/TV production services. Pricing is quote-based and varies by event type, scale, duration, and configuration tier. Marquee customers include Calgary Stampede, The Big E, Canadian National Exhibition, Miami-Dade County Youth Fair, Indiana State Fair, Tulsa State Fair, South Carolina State Fair, and Red River Exhibition, with multi-year relationships spanning in some cases over a decade. Marketing and sales run through a direct sales force, a quote-driven website, industry publications, trade shows, social media, and the Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA).

Name

North American Midway Entertainment

Legal name

North American Midway Entertainment, LLC

Website

https://namidway.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

North American Midway Entertainment is the largest traveling outdoor amusement company in North America, providing turnkey midway services — rides, games, food, branding, and staffing — to fairs, festivals, and corporate events across the United States and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Carnival Midway and Mobile Amusement Services

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Amusement and Theme Parks (71311), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (713990)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Amusement Parks (Regional/Local Ride Parks & Funfairs) (THAJAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO), Family, Kids & Education Fairs (MPAGAFAH)

Keywords

• Carnival midway services
• Mobile amusement rides
• Fair and festival entertainment
• Corporate ride rentals
• Traveling amusement company

Headquarters

HQ city

Farmland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Midway Services for Fairs and Festivals: Complete midway packages including rides, games, and food concessions provided to county fairs, state fairs, and national exhibitions. Revenue is generated through service contracts with event organizers who hire NAME to operate their carnival attractions.
2. Ride and Equipment Rentals: Individual or bundled carnival ride rentals for corporate events, private parties, concerts, and other special events. Includes carnival games and food concession rentals.
3. Corporate Branding Services: Custom branding opportunities integrated into midway attractions including Ferris Wheel Banners, Gondola Stickers, Rides Artwork, Midway Arches, and Food and Beverage Packaging for brand visibility during events.
4. Film and Television Location Services: On-location filming services providing carnival rides and fair equipment for movie and TV productions seeking authentic carnival backdrops.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

North American Midway Entertainment provides turnkey carnival midway services to fairs, festivals, corporate events, and film/TV productions across the United States and Canada. Its offerings are organized into four tiered midway packages (Rent Midway, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond) that scale from 1-20+ rides for small corporate events up to 40+ rides for national exhibitions. The portfolio combines amusement rides (Ferris Wheels, Carousels, Family, Kiddie, Roller Coaster, and Spectacular categories), carnival games and prizes, food concessions, corporate branding customization, professional midway staffing, and film/TV location services.

Product overview

North American Midway Entertainment is North America's largest traveling outdoor amusement company offering a comprehensive carnival and midway experience. The company operates as a modular service provider with tiered midway packages (Rent Midway, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond) that scale from 1-20+ rides for small corporate events up to 40+ rides for national exhibitions. The product portfolio centers on amusement ride rentals across multiple categories including Ferris Wheels, Carousels, Family Rides, Kiddie Rides, Roller Coasters, and Spectacular Rides (Himalaya, Mega Drop, Speed, Star Dancer, Swing Tower, X Drive). Supporting services include Carnival Games with skill and chance games plus Prize Every Time options, Carnival Food concessions (funnel cakes, corn dogs, elephant ears, etc.), Corporate Branding customization, Film & TV Location Services, and professional Midway Staffing. The company serves fairs, festivals, corporate events, concerts, and provides carnival attractions to major partner events including the Calgary Stampede, The Big E, Canadian National Exhibition, and Indiana State Fair.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rent Midway Rental of 1-20+ carnival rides (no games or food) on a 0.25+ acre footprint for corporate events, concerts, festivals, and private celebrations of 1+ day duration. Billed on a per-event basis to enterprise and mid-market buyers.
• Gold Midway Full midway package of 6-19+ rides including games and food concessions for county fairs and county festivals serving 25K-100K attendees over 3+ days on 1-5+ acres. Contracted on multi-year deals with county fair boards.
• Platinum Midway Full-scale midway of 20-39+ rides for state fairs and state festivals serving 100K-500K attendees over 7+ days on 6-10+ acres. Sold as multi-year contract to state-level fair authorities.
• Diamond Midway Premium midway of 40+ rides for national exhibitions and major festivals serving 500K+ attendees on 6+ acres. Contracted to large national exhibitions such as the Canadian National Exhibition and Calgary Stampede.
• Ferris Wheel Rentals Rental of iconic carnival Ferris Wheels in three sizes: Super Ferris Wheel, Giant Ferris Wheel, and Century Ferris Wheel. Marketed as the most popular carnival ride rentals for corporate events and fairs.
• Carousel Rentals Rental of classic merry-go-round attractions including standard Carousel, Double Decker Carousel (76 seats, 34 foot height), and Wave Swinger for fairs, festivals, and corporate events.
• Family Ride Rentals Rental of family-friendly amusement rides including Bumble Bees, Chopper Charlie, Flying Elephants, Giant Slide, Santa's Flying Reindeer, and Sizzler for multi-generational event attendees.
• Kiddie Ride Rentals Rental of child-friendly attractions including Bear Affair, Haunted Mansion, Jumping Cycles, Monster Trucks, Raiders, and Speedway for family events and fairs with younger attendees.
• Roller Coaster Rentals Rental of thrill roller coasters including Bullet Train, China Dragon, Crazy Mouse, Go Gator, Outlaw, and Wacky Worm (kiddie coaster) for fairs and amusement events.
• Spectacular Ride Rentals Rental of major thrill attractions including Himalaya, Mega Drop, Speed, Star Dancer, Swing Tower, and X Drive as standalone or bundled spectacles for large fairs and corporate events.
• Carnival Games and Prizes Classic carnival skill and chance games including Water Gun Fun, Balloon Pop, Fishing Game, Whooper Water, Roll A Ball, Block Buster, and Street Hoops, plus Prize Every Time games, for fairs and corporate events.
• Carnival Food Concessions Fair food concessions operated at events including Jumbo Corn Dogs, Funnel Cakes, Elephant Ears, French Fries, Fried Oreos, Slushies, Candy Shops, Cheeseburgers, Smoothies, Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, and Nachos, sold direct to attendees at fairs and corporate events.
• Corporate Branding Services Custom branding integrations on midway attractions for event sponsors and corporate partners, including Ferris Wheel Centerpieces, Ferris Wheel Banners, Gondola Stickers, Rides Artwork, Midway Arches, and Food and Beverage Packaging.
• Film and TV Location Services On-location filming services supplying carnival rides and fairground attractions as backdrops for film and TV productions, including professional setup, ride operation, and breakdown.
• Midway Staffing Services Professional midway staffing including ride setup, breakdown, ride operation, food service, and clean-up, provided by trained employees in uniform with ID badges.

Quantifiable outcome

• 34% midway revenue increase for Red River Exhibition since 2005 partnership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Calgary StampedecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship partnership for national exhibition featuring innovative Stranger Things collaboration in 2019. NAME recognized as one of North America's most professional carnival operators, providing state-of-the-art rides regularly rotated through the event with visual maintenance as a priority.
• Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & ExpositioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership since 2005 with top management personnel committed to the industry. Partnership described as highly professional with management team highly educated, motivated, and professional.
• OABA (Outdoor Amusement Business Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive membership and participation in industry association. OABA fundraiser at the Big E event deemed a success with NAME involvement.
• Netflix/Stranger ThingsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with Calgary Stampede to bring Stranger Things theming to the fairgrounds, featuring towering ferris wheel and themed food stalls for season launch and interactive fan experience.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wade Shows: One of the largest outdoor traveling carnival operators in the United States, directly competing with NAME for state and county fair midway contracts with a comparable ride inventory and event-driven model.
• Deggeller Attractions: Established traveling midway operator serving fairs and festivals across the US with a comparable mix of rides, games, and food concessions—directly competing for fair board contracts.
• Ray Cammack Shows: Major US traveling carnival company operating midways at state fairs and large festivals, overlapping directly with NAME on ride inventory, fair partnerships, and corporate/private event rentals.
• Butler Amusements: Western US and Canadian traveling carnival company competing with NAME for fair and festival midways, with overlapping ride inventory and direct competition in NAME's Canadian licensed territory.
• Powers Great American Midways: Large-scale US traveling carnival company providing midway services to state and county fairs with a similar ride inventory, food concessions, and corporate event offerings.
• Strates Shows: Historic US carnival operator providing fair midways and corporate event rentals, comparable to NAME in target customers (state/county fairs), product mix (rides, games, food), and event-driven revenue model.
• Funtastic Events: Traveling amusement ride and game operator serving fairs, festivals, and corporate/private events in the US with a comparable product portfolio to NAME's Rent Midway and corporate rental offerings.
• Goldstar Amusements: US traveling carnival operator serving fairs and corporate events with rides, games, and food concessions—overlapping with NAME's Gold and Platinum midway tier offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Cedar Fair: Publicly traded owner of fixed regional amusement parks and water parks; while it operates amusement rides at scale like NAME, its fixed-park business model and corporate scale (NYSE-listed, multi-billion in revenue) put it in the broader incumbent peer category rather than a direct midway competitor.
• SeaWorld Entertainment: Publicly traded operator of theme parks and amusement attractions in the US; while serving the family entertainment market that NAME targets at fairs, its fixed-park model and corporate scale make it a broad industry incumbent rather than a direct midway peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/namidway
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@northamericanmidwayenterta2945
• Facebookfacebook.com/namidway
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-american-midway-entertainment
• Instagraminstagram.com/namidwayentertainment/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North American Midway Entertainment