Sarah Atkins
mnjreporter@gmail.com
Hundreds of Mitchell locals and visitors alike came out for the opening of the Parkway Fire and Rescue B&K Carnival last week.
The carnival will be in town for nine days this summer, with the last being Saturday. This year will be the first that the carnival is also open on Saturday and Sunday for the afternoon and night.
The carnival is open 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 3 p.m. – 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. This year, the B&K Carnival has added a new ride called the “Orbiter,” providing new experiences for those who come to the carnival each summer.
The carnival provides entertainment for families and individuals young and old. Shanna Clark and her sister Charity Grindstaff reflected on how their father would take them to the carnival every year growing up, and now they get to take their children and grandchildren each year. They said they enjoy the environment of the carnival, the rides, and being with their family.
Although there has been a carnival in Spruce Pine for many years before the Parkway Fire Department took it on, they have hosted the B&K Carnival for over 20 years. It is estimated that the carnival will draw over 20,000 people from Mitchell and the counties surrounding it while it is in Spruce Pine.
David Hughes, vice chairmen of the board for the Parkway Fire Department, said that they try to make improvements to the carnival every year. This year there was more gravel added, and two years ago a new bathhouse was built to provide more comfortable lodgings for those working the carnival.
The carnival rides and stands have all been inspected and approved by both the Department of Labor and the Department of Health.
The carnival is one of two yearly fundraisers put on by the Parkway Fire Department, the other being the gym show. Both fundraisers are located in the field owned by the Parkway Fire Department above Skyview Plaza in Grassy Creek.
Parking is managed by volunteers from the Parkway Fire Department and is designed to ensure the carnival is more easily accessible to families and all who may attend the event.
Not only does the carnival bring summer entertainment for those in Mitchell County, but it also brings local businesses more customers. Those working the carnival live in Spruce Pine for the time the carnival is here.
Hughes said he “appreciates the community understanding why we do this” as the Parkway Fire Department works off of tax dollars, but fundraising allows them to work toward better facilities and service for the community.
The B&K Carnival will open again today (Wednesday) giving families and friends another opportunity to have some more summer fun together.