Roaming entertainers make magic at the Iowa State Fair

Beyond the butter cow, Barksdale chocolate chip cookies and Bill Riley Talent Search, there’s Bandaloni, a one-man band who has been performing at the Iowa State Fair for more than 15 years. Paul David of Ontario, Can., puts the man in the one-man band.

“I may be aging myself, however ... it’s now reached the point where it’s three generations of families that I’ve entertained at the Iowa State Fair,” David told The Gazette.

David is returning to the Iowa State Fair this year as a strolling entertainer, one of three acts that will roam around the fairgrounds, spontaneously entertaining crowds. Other strolling acts include Greg Frisbee, a juggler and magician from Massachusetts, and the reflective, selfie-worthy character The Illuminator. Each act adds its unique flavor to the fairgrounds spectacle.

Fair season starts in May and runs through the fall. This means entertainers are on the road for weeks, sometimes months, at a time. It’s a grind that Frisbee and David have been on for decades.

Showtime

Frisbee and David will perform multiple shows each day of the Iowa State Fair, which runs through Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. Showtime means gathering a crowd in a corner of the fairgrounds. David said this is easy with a 35-pound drum rig loaded with 11 instruments, strapped to your body. If that doesn’t do it, his stereo system, which looks like a 5-foot-tall 1930s radio, will.

His act features covers of classic rock and country “with a smattering of new material in there.”

“There’s a magic that happens between myself and the crowd that I think is what makes life worth living,” David said. “ ... When one can forget one’s troubles and just ... revel in what’s taking place.”

Between shows, you’ll find him fixing and tweaking his equipment. He uses about $30,000 of sound equipment in his show — which is out in the elements, playing three shows a day with him. Cables, drum skins and guitar strings break. Electronics fail. Straps and hooks wear out.

But David’s years of experience and collection of tools have helped him weather any storm that blows his way.

“I spend more time fixing things ... than probably performing itself,” David said. “I’ve told people in the past, I do the shows for free and what you’re paying me to do is travel and live out of a suitcase and fix things.”

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This year, Frisbee is debuting his “Ice Cream Show” which features ice cream-themed magic, juggling and a vintage ice cream bike. Frisbee said roaming characters bring an element of surprise to the audience because they don’t know that there’s a show coming.

“They think I’m selling a real ice cream ... and then I can kind of direct like, well, all my ice cream is actually gone. I’m looking for it. I haven’t seen it anywhere,” Frisbee said. “Do you know where it is?”

This segues into spinning balls on ice cream cones, squirting faux chocolate syrup and scooping ice cream out of audience members’ hats.

“I think having fun is important no matter what you do in life ... and it doesn’t need to mean anything in particular,” Frisbee said.

Life during the off-season

The business side of Frisbee’s work takes center stage during the winter. As a full-time entertainer, Frisbee has performed in all 50 states at festivals and fairs, on Disney and Royal Caribbean cruise ships, and for private events. He hustles for these gigs, sending hundreds of emails over the winter. Being able to sell your act is an important skill.

“You always have to kind of refresh people and remind them of who you are because we live in a world of over-saturation. ... I’ve been doing this for 30 years and every year it feels like it's the first time,” Frisbee said.

The fair industry — entertainers and beyond — also will gather at the International Association of Fairs and Expos in preparation for upcoming events.

“There’s approximately 400 to 500 booths at that convention, with everyone from agents to people selling bleachers — and there certainly is probably more entertainers than anything,” David said.

Beyond locking down gigs, the off-season is for hashing out new material

“Every few years I try to come up with something different, something new,” Frisbee said. “What can I add ... or if it’s the same element, how can I repackage it so it looks fresh, it feels different?”

Behind the scenes at the Iowa State Fair

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While friends back home enjoy summer vacation, entertainers are enduring a marathon of fairs and festivals. Ten-day contracts are common, but some run much longer.

Frisbee’s 30 years in the business have taught him a few lessons, like finding lodging with a kitchen; avoid eating too much fair food; and resting as much as possible. Performing in the summer heat is physically demanding, and burning out early into a contract makes the job more difficult.

Still, there’s time for fun and forging fair friendships.

“You kind of crisscross with different performers over the years, and to me that’s a big part of the fun of the fairs, the other performers that you get to hang out with in-between the shows,” Frisbee said.

Frisbee and David have become friends over the years, and they can be found at the Iowa Craft Beer tent at the end of the work day. David described his relationships with fellow entertainers as “lifelong friendships.” And he’s become friends with some of his fans who have made the Iowa State Fair a place where he feels like family.

“Iowans are some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met in my life,” David said.

“(Iowa State Fair) is my favorite fair. It’s an incredible fair, so Iowa should be proud to have it, and I know that most Iowans are.”

Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com