What Reithoffer Shows does

Reithoffer Shows Inc. is a privately held, fifth-generation family-owned traveling carnival company founded in 1896 by German immigrant Julius Reithoffer, who purchased a steam-driven carousel in Duryea, Pennsylvania. The company operates two independent units — the Blue Unit and Orange Unit, led respectively by Rick and Pat III — that can play two State Fairs simultaneously, with a third generation member Bette Reithoffer serving as Matriarch and the fifth generation now in the business. Reithoffer provides a full-service midway experience across three ride tiers (Spectacular rides such as the Dutch Wheel and Super Himalaya, Thrill rides including Tilt A Whirl and Ring of Fire, and Kiddie rides), plus food concessions, games of skill and chance, and an optional Mega Pass wristband product. Its technical platform centers on a portable diesel generator electrical grid installed in semi-trailers that powers the entire fleet, a centralized ticket system dating to the 1960s, an in-progress migration to card-based chip-embedded ticketing, and a fleet-wide LED lighting conversion initiated in 2006.

The company books events ranging from small spring carnivals in mall parking lots to large County and State Fairs across 15+ eastern and central US states (FL, AL, MD, GA, NJ, NY, TN, WI, NM, TX, PA, WV, SC, NC, OH), with an event calendar spanning February through November. Revenue is generated on a transaction-fee basis through ticket sales for rides, third-party food concessionaire placements on the midway, and game concessions, with event-specific pricing set by each individual fair. Distribution is direct: fair organizers contact booking manager David Grimm, while independent ride owners and concessionaires book through unit-specific contacts (Bobby Pugh for Blue, Justin Vonderheid for Orange). The company's key competitive differentiators are a $5 million umbrella insurance policy (the highest rating in the industry), 14 NAARSO-certified ride safety inspectors including multiple Level III certifications, four OABA Circle of Excellence Awards since 2004, and 120+ years of continuous family operation under the registered trademark 'The Aristocrat of Show Business.'

Name

Reithoffer Shows

Legal name

Reithoffer Shows Inc.

Website

https://reithoffershows.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Reithoffer Shows is a fifth-generation, family-owned traveling carnival company founded in 1896 that operates two independent midway units (Blue and Orange) delivering rides, food concessions, and games at fairs and festivals across 15+ US states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Traveling Carnival & Midway Entertainment

NAICS

All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (713990), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7139)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Parades, Carnivals & Street Fairs (MPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO), Family, Kids & Education Fairs (MPAGAFAH), General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Traveling carnival services
• Amusement ride operations
• Fair entertainment
• Carnival midway games
• Food concessions

Headquarters

HQ city

Gibsonton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Amusement Rides: Revenue generated from guests purchasing rides at fairs, festivals, and carnival events. Ride height requirements and capacity vary by attraction.
2. Food Concessions: Revenue from third-party food vendors operating on the midway, including funnel cakes, cotton candy, candy apples, cheese steaks, and other fair foods.
3. Games: Revenue from carnival games of skill and chance where guests can win prizes such as teddy bears.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Reithoffer Shows operates a full-service traveling carnival midway featuring Spectacular, Thrill, and Kiddie rides, Food Concessions, and Games Concessions, deployed at fairs, festivals, and community events across the eastern and central United States. The company runs two independent units (Blue Unit and Orange Unit) capable of playing major state fairs simultaneously, and offers customizable show configurations tailored to each event size. Revenue is generated primarily from consumer ticket, game, and food purchases on-site at each event.

Product overview

Reithoffer Shows operates as a full-service traveling carnival company, providing a unified experience composed of three ride tiers (Spectacular/Super Spectacular rides, Thrill rides, and Kiddie rides), Food Concessions, and Games Concessions. The company also offers an optional Mega Pass ticketing add-on. Their Blue and Orange Units operate independently, enabling them to play two State Fairs simultaneously. Events range from small community carnivals to major county and state fairs across the eastern United States. The company books independent ride owners and concessionaires, and tailors the show configuration to each venue's location and needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spectacular Rides Large-capacity, high-impact Super Spectacular rides including the Gentle Giant Ferris wheel, Dutch Wheel, Super Himalaya, Galaxy Coaster, Wave Swinger, and Lightning ride; flagship attractions that draw the largest crowds at fairs and state fairs.
• Thrill Rides Moderate to high-intensity rides for older children and adults, including Tilt A Whirl, Scrambler, Ring of Fire, Fireball, Zero Gravity, Sizzler, Starship 3000, and bumper-style scooter attractions.
• Kiddie Rides Age-appropriate rides for young children including mini coasters, carousels, spinning rides, train rides, and interactive attractions such as Mini Wave Swinger, Tea Cups, Monster Truck, and Rockin Rollin Funhouse.
• Food Concessions Traveling midway food vendors serving a variety of fair foods including funnel cakes, cotton candy, candy apples, popcorn, cinnamon rolls, and cheese steaks; all vendors pass state or local health inspections before each event.
• Games Concessions Carnival midway games of skill and chance including basketball skill shot, water races, crazy ball, dime pitch, and ring a bottle, operated with fair and winnable rules.
• Event Booking Services Customizable carnival show services for fair and festival organizers ranging from small spring carnivals in mall parking lots to large County and State Fairs, including the option for independent ride owners and concessionaires to book into the show.

Quantifiable outcome

• OABA Circle of Excellence Award received 4 times since inception in 2004

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Independent Ride OwnerscoreOthersIndependent ride owners can book their rides with Reithoffer Shows. They must download the independent ride owner agreement and information page from the company website and contact David Grimm for booking. This partnership allows additional ride variety at events.
• Independent ConcessionairescoreOthersIndependent food and game vendors can book spots on Reithoffer Shows midways. Contact is through Bobby Pugh (Blue Unit) or Justin Vonderheid (Orange Unit). Vendors must download concession agreement and information packet.
• NAARSO (National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials)coreOthersThe company maintains 14 NAARSO certified employees, with more than one at Level III certification. The Safety Director was NAARSO's Man of the Year in 2014. This certification ensures ride safety compliance.
• Various Fair and Festival OrganizationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReithoffer Shows partners with county fairs, agricultural expos, community festivals, and state fairs across multiple states including Florida, New Jersey, New York, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, and others. They book events year-round through direct relationships with fair organizers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Powers Great American Midways: Traveling carnival company operating at fairs and festivals in the midwestern and eastern U.S. Closely comparable to Reithoffer based on carnival services delivered to fair organizers and consumer-facing entertainment offerings.
• Butler Amusements: Multi-unit traveling carnival company operating rides, games, and food concessions across the western United States. Directly comparable to Reithoffer given similar multi-unit structure, fair-based events, and revenue mix.
• Deggeller Attractions: Family-owned traveling carnival company serving fairs and festivals across the eastern and central U.S. Directly comparable to Reithoffer on the multi-generation family owner-operator model, product mix, and customer base.
• Wade Shows: Large multi-generational traveling carnival operator serving fairs and festivals across the Midwest and eastern U.S. Comparable to Reithoffer in family ownership, multi-unit operations, and state fair customer base.
• Amusements of America: Traveling carnival company that supplies rides, games, and food concessions to fairs and festivals, primarily in the eastern United States. Closely comparable to Reithoffer on product offering, customer base, and operating model.
• Strates Shows: Long-standing traveling carnival company with operations across the eastern U.S. Direct peer to Reithoffer along multi-event carnival services, fair organizer customer base, and ride/food/game revenue mix.
• Royal American Shows: Multi-unit traveling carnival operator serving fairs and expositions across the U.S. with rides, games, and food concessions. Directly comparable to Reithoffer on multi-unit scheduling, product portfolio, and customer base.
• North American Midway Entertainment: The largest traveling carnival operator in the United States, providing amusement rides, games, and food concessions at fairs and festivals nationwide. Directly comparable to Reithoffer along product, customer base (county/state fair organizers), and business model.

Broad incumbents

• Six Flags Entertainment Corporation: Largest regional theme park operator in North America with multiple branded parks. Broad incumbent in the amusement space; comparable to Reithoffer as an amusement operator but with a fixed-venue rather than traveling event-based model.
• Cedar Fair Entertainment Company: Major operator of fixed amusement parks including Kings Island, Knott's Berry Farm, and Dorney Park. Broader incumbent in the amusement industry with overlapping ride attractions and entertainment, but operating a fixed-park model rather than traveling carnival format.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ReithofferShow
• Facebookfacebook.com/ReithofferShows
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reithoffer-shows

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Reithoffer Shows