Login

Gallup Sun

Friday, Mar 29th

Last update12:57:39 AM GMT

You are here: News Sun News Frazier Shows carnival draws hundreds; rakes in $14K for city

Frazier Shows carnival draws hundreds; rakes in $14K for city

E-mail Print PDF

Frazier was in Indian Capital three times in 2015

Excitement spread across the Indian Capital the past two weeks as hundreds – perhaps thousands depending on who you talk to – of people partook in the tri-annual family-friendly Frasier Shows carnival at Rio West Mall. Based on the dates of past performances, the event could be coming back to Gallup’s Rio West Mall.

“This was the first time that I brought my daughter, Anne, 10, and my son, Kevin, 13, to Gallup for the carnival,” Jannie Smith, 38, of Window Rock, said. “They like carnivals. The thing is they don’t get to go a lot of carnivals, because they aren’t here in Gallup a lot over the summer.” Anne Smith said she sees carnivals on TV all the time and said she likes it when she can attend one in person. Eating blue-colored cotton candy, Anne said, “They are lots of fun,” meaning that the Ferris wheel and merry go round are her favorite rides.

Anita Artalejo, manager at Rio West Mall, said mall traffic increased due to the presence of the carnival. She said carnival workers shopped at shoe stores and also frequented Rio West’s food court.

“There was a pickup in mall traffic,” Artalejo said. “I think people went to all of our stores and some I think came back a second and third time. For things maybe they forget to buy.”

A portion of the west end parking lot at Rio West Mall was closed off to accommodate the carnival, which saw dozens of carnival workers set up and take down the various rides, sound systems and food stands. Some who didn’t actually attend the carnival watched the festivity from U.S. 491 and from further away in the mall parking lot.

“I’m here with my daughter,” Art Yazzie, 29, of Gallup, said. “She likes it so I like it.”

Gallup City Clerk Al Abeita said, as per city ordinance, a $2,000 daily city fee is required of a company staging a carnival in Gallup.

Abeita noted that the Scottsdale, Arizona-based Frazier Shows was in Gallup from May 2-4 and again from May 5-8.  Similarly, the general city license fee for a carnival is $1,000 daily if the event is sponsored by a charity, religious or civic non-profit organization as long as the time frame is below three consecutive days, according to city ordinance.

City Attorney George Kozeliski said the licensing fee was instituted in 1983 by the Gallup City Council.

“There have been no other carnival companies that have operated in Gallup the past few years,” Abeita said. In 2015, Abeita said Frazier was in Gallup from May 28-31, June 4-7, and from Aug. 20-24.

By Bernie Dotson
Sun Correspondent

Share/Save/Bookmark