The 1893 Chicago World Columbian Exposition sparked a tradition of traveling carnivals. Rural North Americans that didn't live close to cities could experience traveling forms of bazaar entertainment — from burlesque to vaudeville, circuses and magic lantern shows.

 Enjoy this nostalgic gallery of carnival rides with names and images!

 

Image Description: magic lantern GIF of a wizard conjuring spirits from a cauldron

 

Enjoy a carnival ASMR animation while you look! 

 

 

Balloon Race

 

 

Booster

 

 

Bumper Boats

 

Bumper Cars

 

 

Carousel

 

 

Caterpillar

 

 

Cliff Hanger

 

 

Condor

 

 

Disk'O

 

Dragon Wagon

 

 

Enterprise

 

 

Ferris Wheel

 

 

Fireball

 

 

Frisbee

 

 

Fun Slide

 

 

Gravitron AKA Starship AKA Alien Abduction

 

 

Hayride

 

 

Helter Skelter

 

 

Jump and Smile

 

 

Kamikaze

 

 

 

Log Flume

 

 

Madhouse AKA Mystery Swing

 

 

Matterhorn

 

 

Mechanical Bull

 

 

Miami Trip

 

 

Motion Simulator

 

 

Musik Express

 

 

Octopus

 

 

Orbiter

 

 

Pirate Ship

 

 

Rainbow

 

 

Red Baron

 

 

Reverse Bungee

 

 

Scrambler

 

 

Skydiver

 

 

Star Flyer

 

 

Tagada

Teacups

The Whip

Top Scan

 

 

Top Spin

 

 

Tornado

 

 

Waltzer

 

 

Zipper

 

 

 

REFERENCES

Wikipedia contributors. (2022, September 6). List of amusement rides. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:49, September 13, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_amusement_rides&oldid=1108771359

Wikipedia contributors. (2022, July 6). Traveling carnival. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 12:06, September 13, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Traveling_carnival&oldid=1096726755