ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – On Tuesday, the U.P. State Fair midway was full of fairgoers, with some even lining up for tickets before the rides opened.
Much of the midway attractions are courtesy of Skerbeck Entertainment Group.
“I think we’ve been here for close to 20 years now,” said co-owner Sonja Skerbeck. “It is an absolute joy to be able to come home for a week, because this is home for all of us. It gets so muggy and humid when we do our events downstate, so to have our August route be so far north, it’s just a dream come true!”
The U.P. State Fair is seven days of hometown fun for Skerbeck Entertainment Group, which operates a total of 30 rides along the midway.
“There’s something for every age range, every thrill level, including the favorites that the teenagers love, like the Super Nova 360 in particular,” said Skerbeck. “All the favorites are here.”
Skerbeck Entertainment Group also runs the carnival games, offering fun and prizes for players of all skill sets.
“I think the balloon pop is probably one of the more favorite games,” Skerbeck said. “Also the basketball games, the machine gun game with the BB pellets, and lots of fun race games too.”
All that excitement can make a person hungry, so Skerbeck Entertainment Group even has a few food stations throughout the midway featuring some fair classics.
“We have a couple of units for elephant ears—because they’re very popular—deep-fried Oreos, and all the other good things too,” said Skerbeck.
While Skerbeck Entertainment Group works a full schedule of fairs and other events throughout the year, Skerbeck says the experience fairgoers get here makes the U.P. State Fair extra special.
“The fair really does an amazing job of having a wide, diverse level of entertainment for everybody that wants to attend,” she said. “It’s not just the carnival midway. The DNR has the Pocket Park, there’s the Miracle of Life exhibit, and these are things that you don’t necessarily see at other fairs across the state of Michigan. This is bigger. This is uniquely U.P. and wonderful.”
The midway opens daily at 11 a.m. The U.P. State Fair continues through Sunday, August 18. To see where else you can find Skerbeck Entertainment Group this summer, click here.
WZMQ 19 is a proud Reserve Champion Sponsor of the 2024 U.P. State Fair. Stay tuned to WZMQ 19 News for live reports from the fairgrounds.
