The Carnival Rides Return!

By Daniel Crawford, The Sandy Standard

The 2026 Sandy Mountain Festival will be like a walk into the not-too-distant past with the return of the Queen’s Court and the popular carnival, thus ending a seven-year drought of a beloved festival tradition.

With special thanks to the Ant Farm, the rides will return to the familiar Farmer’s Market ground fronted by Scales avenue. Another special thanks to Shan Hill, of Barlow Properties, for allowing one of his properties to be used as a bunk yard for the carnival vehicles and crew. The Sandy Community Center deserves thanks for allowing their water to be used for the carnival team.

A one-year deal with Brass Ring Amusements was signed in February to provide the carnival rides for this year’s event. If everything goes well, both sides are hopeful to work on a multi-year deal for future carnivals.

Since 2020, the Sandy Mountain Festival team has strived to bring back the Queen’s Court and the carnival as their main table objective. However, two unrelated events would put those plans on hold for an interim.

First, outgoing SMF President Martin Montgomery and a large chunk of his volunteer staff retired in 2019. Second, incoming President Valerie Gillum inherited a depleted staff as well as the Covid-19 pandemic social rule of maintaining six feet apart from other human beings –  a dooming problem for a public event to be sure. The carnival made a brief comeback in 2022 but has not resurfaced in five years. It was during Gillum’s tenure that the unfortunate decision to cut the carnival and Queen’s Court, despite the futile efforts of a short-handed staff to keep it all intact.  

In 2024 Lisa Snider traded in her staff role as Hospitality Coordinator to become the next President. Snider began working with Vice President Kevin Capelle with the primary focus dedicated to returning the festival to the traditional days.  

A future volunteer named Kelly French, along with her husband Jeffrey, attended an August 2024 SMF committee meeting to see what she could do to help.  Her plan was to help but she admits she had a loftier project in mind. “I wanted to help in any capacity but I had a special interest in seeing if I could be the one to bring the carnival back. I have teenagers and work at a middle school. I know how much the young people of our town enjoy these events,” said French.

French immediately began working on recruiting carnival companies to come to Sandy, but quickly learned the toll road to the carnival rental world was paved with rejection.  

French began by calling carnival rental companies in Oregon only to be told ‘no’.  She then called companies in Washington. Then California. Then Idaho. Then Nevada. She even called Arizona. But each time the result was the same ‘no’.  In February of 2025, French received a final rejection and she had to put her dream of a carnival for the 2025 SMF on hold for another year.

During the process of trying to recruit a carnival rental, French learned most carnival companies already have long term contracts in place - with venues that are much bigger than the SMF.  The mission suddenly turned to finding an available rental company that would serve our smaller venue.  

Undeterred and still invigorated, French came back to work for the 2026 festival team, needing a miracle. One arrived at the Chamber of Commerce meeting. A member put French in touch with a Mark Whitney from a company called KevaWorks, a company specializing in organizing carnivals for events all over the country.

Whitney provided the miracle needed. He arranged the contract for Brass Ring Amusements to be here in July for the festival. 

“He (Whitney) has been such a blessing as far as getting a carnival booked for us!” exclaimed French.

With the news of the carnival came the order of gathering street closure permits, setting up dumpsters, porta-potties, ODOT requirements, noise variance rules, and other permits. More tireless phone calls!  

“Mr. Patrick Depa from the City of Sandy Planning Department was instrumental in helping me in gathering all of the permits and making sure everything is legal,” said French.  

She added, “Past SMF President (Martin) Montgomery was also a vital source of help and support. This whole festival team is like a family. I am so proud and excited this is happening.”

When the 2026 festival comes to a close it will be recorded in the annals as the year of the return of tradition.  

Please remember all of those who gave their time as volunteers by showing gratitude with a thanks or a donation at the www.sandymountainfestival.org website. They will appreciate your kindness.