Strates Shows
Strates Shows is a family-owned, 100+ year-old traveling carnival company operating America's only remaining railroad carnival, providing rides, games, and food concessions to state and county fairs across the northeastern, southeastern, and midwestern United States during a seven-month season.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1923
- HeadquartersOrlando, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Strates Shows does
Strates Shows (legal entity: Strates Shows, Inc., DBA James E. Strates Shows®) is a privately held, family-owned traveling carnival company founded in 1923 by Greek immigrant James E. Strates. The company operates one of America's larger carnival midways, providing thrill rides, family rides, carnival games of skill, and food concessions (funnel cakes, corn on the cob, fries, etc.) to state and county fairs across the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest United States during a seven-month operating season. Its primary customers are state and county fair organizations, with named bookings including York State Fair, Erie County Fair, and Champlain Valley Fair.
The company's core operational differentiator is its railroad-based infrastructure: it is described as America's only remaining railroad carnival, transporting personnel and equipment using 61 rail cars and 34 trucks, with a 40-acre Winter Quarters in Taft, Orlando, FL featuring over a mile of dedicated railroad siding. The company maintains 100+ rides (spectacular, family, and children's attractions), deploys approximately 400 employees and families during the season, and operates under ASTM, NAARSO, and AIMS safety standards. Modern rides carry unit costs of $500,000 to $1,000,000, representing substantial capital intensity.
Revenue is generated through two main streams: (1) direct carnival midway operations at fairs, where fairgoers purchase ride credits (FunCards at 120 credits for $50, a 25% discount) or individual ride tickets, and (2) equipment booking fees from independent ride and concession operators who pay for the opportunity to operate on the Strates midway, subject to $1,000,000 general liability insurance requirements per piece of equipment. The company is governed by the Strates family, with E. James Strates serving as president and manager since 1959 alongside his wife Phyllis and their five adult children, representing third and fourth generation ownership. No private equity, venture, or institutional capital is indicated.
Strates Shows firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Strates Shows
- Legal name
- Strates Shows, Inc.
- Website
- https://stratescarnivalcompany.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1923
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Strates Shows is a family-owned, 100+ year-old traveling carnival company operating America's only remaining railroad carnival, providing rides, games, and food concessions to state and county fairs across the northeastern, southeastern, and midwestern United States during a seven-month season.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Strates Shows industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Traveling Carnival Midway Operations
- NAICS
- Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Amusement and Theme Parks (713110), Amusement and Theme Parks (71311)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Festival, Fair & Event Mobile Concessions (THAFAHAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Amusement/Redemption Arcade Machines (Ticket & Prize) (MPAEAJAD), Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering (THAFAIAG)
Keywords
Where Strates Shows is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Orlando
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Strates Shows business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Carnival Midway Operations: Strates Shows operates a traveling carnival midway providing carnival rides, games, and food concessions at state and county fairs. Revenue is generated through ride admissions, game play, and food/beverage sales to fairgoers.
- Equipment Booking: Independent ride and concession operators book equipment from Strates Shows to operate at events. Strates Shows provides the infrastructure, electrical systems, and midway space while independent operators pay for the opportunity to operate.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | FunCard credits for ride access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Strates Shows product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Strates Shows operates a traveling carnival midway that delivers mechanical rides, midway games of skill, and food concessions to state and county fairs across the United States during a seven-month operating season. The company books the full midway package or individual components to fair organizers for one event or an entire season. Revenue is generated through ride admissions (FunCard credits), game play fees, and food/beverage sales to fairgoers, supplemented by equipment booking fees from independent ride and concession operators.
Product overview
James E. Strates Shows operates as a traveling carnival midway offering three main integrated service lines: spectacular carnival rides (including major thrill rides and family attractions), carnival games of skill, and food concessions. The company books its equipment and personnel for fairs and events across the United States during a seven-month operating season. The carnival travels with approximately 400 employees using America's only remaining railroad carnival system (61 rail cars and 34 trucks).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Carnival Rides Mechanical carnival rides operated as part of the traveling midway at state and county fairs, ranging from spectacular high-thrill rides to family and children's attractions. Sold to fairgoers through per-ride tickets and FunCard credits (120 credits for $50).
- Carnival Games of Skill Midway games of skill for all ages, including fish ponds, shooting ranges, and other carnival-style skill games awarding plush prizes and carnival mementos. Pay-per-play revenue model.
- Carnival Food Concessions Carnival and fair-style food and beverage offerings operated by concessionaires, including funnel cakes, french fries, corn on the cob, fresh fruit, and other traditional midway foods. Sold directly to fairgoers on-site.
- Carnival Midway Booking Services Booking services allowing fair organizers and event hosts to contract for Strates Shows' carnival rides, carnival games, and food concessions for a single event or an entire fair season. Includes on-site midway infrastructure (electrical, space, scheduling) and insurance, badge, uniform, and grooming compliance requirements for any independent operators joining the midway.
Companies that use Strates Shows
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Strates Shows technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Strates Shows partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- OABA (Outdoor Amusement Business Association)minorIndustry trade association for outdoor amusement businesses. Strates Shows maintains membership for industry networking, best practices, and professional standards alignment.
- IAFE (International Association of Fairs and Expositions)coreMajor industry association connecting fairs and carnival operators. Strates Shows relies on IAFE membership for booking opportunities and industry visibility at the circuit level.
- Circle of ExcellenceminorRecognition program under OABA for carnival companies demonstrating excellence in operations and safety standards.
- Florida Federation of FairscoreState-level association of fairs in Florida. Strates Shows operates at Florida fairs through this network.
- Georgia Association of Agricultural FairscoreState-level association of agricultural fairs in Georgia. Strates Shows operates at Georgia fairs through this network.
- New York State Association of Agricultural FairscoreState-level association of agricultural fairs in New York. Strates Shows operates at New York state and county fairs through this network.
- North Carolina Association of Agricultural FairscoreState-level association of agricultural fairs in North Carolina. Strates Shows operates at North Carolina fairs through this network.
- ASTM Committee F24minorStandards organization for amusement ride safety. Strates Shows follows ASTM standards for carnival ride safety.
- NAARSO (National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials)minorProfessional organization for amusement ride safety inspectors. Strates Shows operates under NAARSO safety guidelines.
- AIMS InternationalminorInternational safety organization for amusement industry. Strates Shows maintains compliance with AIMS safety standards.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Strates Shows competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- North American Midway Entertainment: One of the largest traveling carnival midway operators in the United States, providing rides, games, and food concessions at fairs and events. Highly comparable to Strates Shows in business model, customer base (state/county fairs), and integrated rides-plus-concession offering.
- Wade Shows: Multi-generational, family-owned traveling carnival operator serving fairs across the Midwest and Southeast. Directly comparable to Strates in scale, family ownership structure, and fair-circuit GTM motion.
- Reithoffer Shows: Established U.S. traveling carnival company operating rides, games, and food concessions at fairs. Comparable in product mix and fair-booking model, with similar safety/regulatory compliance requirements.
- Royal American Shows: Mid-size traveling carnival midway operator serving fairs in the U.S. Offers the same integrated rides/games/concessions package as Strates Shows and competes for the same fair contracts.
- Deggeller Attractions: Family-owned traveling carnival operator with a long history on the U.S. fair circuit. Directly comparable to Strates in offering (rides, games, food) and customer segment (state and county fairs).
- Butler Amusements: West Coast–based traveling carnival operator providing rides, games, and food concessions at fairs. Overlaps with Strates in product and customer category, and would be a direct competitor for any expansion into the western U.S.
- Mighty Thomas Carnival: Traveling carnival operator serving fairs in the central and southern United States. Comparable in scale and integrated service offering (rides, games, food) to Strates Shows.
- Talley Amusements: Family-run carnival company offering rides, games, and food concessions to fairs in the southeastern United States. Directly comparable in business model and customer base to Strates Shows.
Emerging players
- GoldStar Amusements: Smaller-scale traveling carnival operator providing rides and games at fairs and community events. Comparable business model but smaller fleet and footprint than Strates Shows, making it an emerging competitor rather than a peer of equal scale.
Broad incumbents
- Cedar Fair: Major U.S. operator of fixed-site amusement/theme parks (Cedar Point, Knott's Berry Farm, etc.). While not a traveling carnival, Cedar Fair is a relevant broader amusement-industry incumbent whose capital intensity, ride-safety standards, and consumer demographics overlap with Strates Shows.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Strates Shows social profiles
Digital presenceStrates Shows compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Strates Shows financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Strates Shows leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Strates Shows funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Strates Shows M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Strates Shows
What does Strates Shows do?
Strates Shows operates a traveling carnival midway that delivers mechanical rides, midway games of skill, and food concessions to state and county fairs across the United States during a seven-month operating season. The company books the full midway package or individual components to fair organizers for one event or an entire season. Revenue is generated through ride admissions (FunCard credits), game play fees, and food/beverage sales to fairgoers, supplemented by equipment booking fees from independent ride and concession operators.
Is Strates Shows a public or private company?
Strates Shows is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Strates Shows founded?
Strates Shows was founded in 1923. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Strates Shows based?
Strates Shows is headquartered in Orlando, United States, in the North America region.
How does Strates Shows make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Carnival Midway Operations are the primary driver. The others are equipment Booking.
Who are Strates Shows's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are North American Midway Entertainment, Wade Shows, Reithoffer Shows, Royal American Shows, Deggeller Attractions, Butler Amusements, Mighty Thomas Carnival and Talley Amusements. GoldStar Amusements is listed as an emerging player. Cedar Fair is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Strates Shows have an API?
No public API is recorded for Strates Shows.
What industry is Strates Shows in?
Strates Shows's product category is Traveling Carnival Midway Operations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAHAI, Festival, Fair & Event Mobile Concessions, with a secondary code of MPAEAJAD, Amusement/Redemption Arcade Machines (Ticket & Prize). Its NAICS code is 7131 and its SIC code is 7900.