New Amusements Provider Among the Fresh Look at This Year’s Fair
Jeff Walker, Entertainment Writer
While the Coastal Carolina Fair has its origins dating back a century, its partnership with The Exchange Club of Charleston took shape in 1957. After two location moves the fair found a permanent home in 1979 at The Exchange Park on Hwy 78 in Ladson. With its 180 acres and ample parking, the fair welcomes attendees year after year and has become an annual fixture on low country calendars in late October and early November.
Their history withstanding, the Coastal Carolina Fair’s new slogan this year is ‘All New in 2022‘. For decades the Exchange Club of Charleston has maintained a working relationship with Amusements of America, but in the interest of spicing up the Coastal Carolina Fair and providing fair goers something new, the Exchange Club has entered a one-year partnership with Reithoffer Shows, a fifth-generation full scale amusement company that promises to breathe new life into the 65th annual Coastal Carolina Fair when it opens Thursday October 27th.
With more than 65 rides and attractions Reithoffer Shows promises to have rides that provide epic views, thrills of a lifetime, and more than two dozen rides that a kid friendly as well as 10 never before seen rides at the fair. Their famed Dutch Wheel is legendary and will take you up 126′ in the air for spectacular views that go on for miles. At night it provides a fabulously mesmerizing light show that can be seen from anywhere on the midway. Both young and old will love a ride on this wheel.
Reithoffer’s Vertigo (60 ft. swing ride), Zero Gravity, Freak Out, and Ring of Fire (accelerated circular train ride) are not for the faint of heart, nor is Pharoah’s Fury or Full Tilt (high speed spin ride). Patrons seeking a more subdued experience with yesteryear adventure might want to check out the Gentle Giant (90 ft. gondola Ferris wheel) or the Grand Carousel that provides seniors a nostalgic spin down memory lane especially with grandkids in tow.
Ideal for Halloween, the Haunted Mansion is an eerie ride through a dark and scary house. Mazes, funhouses, roller coasters, and more. Reithoffer promises their first trip to the low country of South Carolina will knock the socks off fair goers of all sizes and ages.
One of the main reasons the Exchange Club went with Reithoffer is due to their impeccable safety record. They currently have 14 NAARSO (National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials) certified employees including inspectors and mechanics that are OSHA compliant. Being a fifth-generation family-owned amusement company, the Reithoffer’s like to say their children, family, and friends ride on these rides right next to you, so safety is their number one priority.
Although the rides, games, and food get the bulk of the attention, the Coastal Carolina Fair has lots to offer if you just take the time to check out the entire park. From agriculture exhibits, bull riding, and 4-F Programs to Baked Goods, Creative Arts, & Photography Competitions the Coastal Carolina Fair showcases some of the finest events from local and regional participants. Enjoy everything from daily Chili Cook-Offs to cooking demonstrations.
With the recent inclusion of The Beer Garden the fair has doubled up on the daily entertainment, providing a three-hour window for local and regional acts to entertain patrons while sampling some their favorite new craft beers. With Southern Eagle as the overall sponsor with their Bud, Bud Light, and Mich Ultra signature brands, some local breweries taking part include Rusty Bull, Palmetto, King’s Calling, and Island Brands. This year the Beer Garden has something for everyone with Shem Creek Boogie Band, DJ Larry Knight, and Ocean Drive Party Band performing beach & shag music, Vinyl Daze and Ronnie Johnson playing yesteryear favorites.
Local guitar virtuoso Eddie Bush & The Mayhem will rock the crowd, with the Plantation Singers and Twin Clark Sisters adding Gullah spirituals and praised fill dancing respectively. The Beer Garden closes down the fair Sunday Nov 6th with upbeat salsa dancing with Latin Night with DJ Luigi. Ole! As an added bonus for beer lovers the Exchange Club has added a smaller garden ie ‘Midway Tavern’ 180 degrees around the concrete concourse, just a stone’s throw from one of two kiddie lands.
As they’ve done for decades the Coastal Carolina Fair bring in a variety of name artists to perform nightly on the Lakefront Stage. Celebrating a good mix, the Lakefront Stage will be home to R&B’s J. Howell and Latino crooner Lorenzo Mendez as well as a stand-up comic Tim Cavanaugh, all sprinkled around country music veterans as well as tomorrow’s rising stars.
90’s country music comes alive with Neal McCoy opening night, with Collin Raye & Sammy Kershaw bringing their Roots & Boots Tour to the fair on Saturday Oct 29th. Hotel California salute the Eagles on Wednesday Nov 3rd. Yonder Mountain String Band entertain bluegrass fans on Sat Nov 5th with Rockland Road closing down the fair with a blend of country music favorites.
Not to be outdone Ronnie & Kim Netterfield and the Netterfield family bring some of the most sought after and outrageous festival foods to the Coastal Carolina Fair each and every year. Netterfield’s operate roughly 14 stands surrounding the midway. You can chow down on Italian & Polish style sausages, as well as corndogs, chili dogs, turkey legs, sliced pizza, popcorn, cotton candy, and old-time lemonade. Serving up unique carnival foods for nearly a century. Eat & repeat!
Concessions by Cox from neighboring Georgia serve up a bevy of everyday favorites from their stands, including burgers, hotdogs, BBQ pork, ribs, and chicken sandwiches. Have a sweet tooth, Cox serve up plenty of lick your lips frozen treats from ice cream sundaes to thick shakes. Be sure to check out their frozen yogurt and apple dumplings. Satisfying fair goers for over six decades. Yummy!
The Coastal Carolina Fair has always had a neighborhood element with Summerville’s own Seafood Jungle serving up some of the best fried fish, shrimp, oysters, and crab clusters. Their shrimp boil and seafood fries as well as their salmon & yellow rice have become lowcountry legendary. If you want a healthy slice of summer in mid-autumn than Playa Bowls of Charleston dish up plant-based fruit & veggie edibles, delicious açaí, pitaya, coconut & poke bowls, alongside fruit smoothies and juices. Truly serendipitous!
Searching for even more local flavor, several community and charitable organizations operate permanent standing booths dishing up burgers, hotdogs, chicken fingers, and fries. Fair food at fair prices, with a good bit of your hard-earned money benefitting local causes. Be sure to check out the Omar Shrine Temple group just inside the main gate to the right.
As usual the fair is known for its worldly flavors and obscure menu items. You’ll find Asian, Mexican, Italian, Greek and American food items lined up all around the parkway and midway. The standard fare will be available throughout the park including popcorn, peanuts, hotdogs, cheesesteaks, burgers, chicken fingers, French fries, soft serve ice cream, and plenty of ice-cold beverages.
However, if you’re adventurous than I suggest seeking out Smashing Pumpkin Elephant Ears, Gator Bites, Fried Bologna Sandwiches, Fried Oreos, Fried Cheesecake, Pickled Fries, Surf & Turf Sundaes, and the Funnel Cake Burgers. Over 70 food and beverage concessions to tantalize the taste buds. Hey, the fair comes to town only once a year, ‘take a walk on the wild & wacky food side’. In case you’re wondering the Bulk Candy Store will be back in 2022.
Should you seek ice cream like that similar to Dairy Queen than I recommend stopping by Libby’s Soft Serve where they offer up their signature Flavor Burst ice cream soft service ice cream in 16 flavors, alongside frozen drinks. The Florida based concession operate two kiosks on either side of parkway. Look for the Libby’s and their pink & blue shakes and sundaes banner. If ice cream and frozen beverages are not your thing but you have a sweet tooth there is always Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts where they serve up oversized yeast donuts. Find them on the back side of the parkway near the entrance to the midway.
I fully recommend all the food vendors at the fair, but you want really good BBQ, brisket and mac n’ cheese, then you can’t go wrong in the beer garden. Good food, cold beer, and good music.
The Coastal Carolina Fair has been entertaining kids of all ages for 65 years and been in residence at the Exchange Park in Ladson going on 43 years. Often three or four generations enjoy the fair year in and year out. For some it’s a rite of passage. Running daily Thursday Oct 27th thru Sunday November 6th the fair is 11 fun filled days. I suggest families with young kids try to make it to the park early. They open at 3pm weekdays, 10am Saturdays, and at noon on Sundays. Seniors and seniors only enjoy the park 10am-2pm on Wednesday Nov 2nd. See there are perks to growing old.
With all the glitz and glamour, the Coastal Carolina Fair presents the underlying goal is their commitment to give back to the community. Over the years the Exchange Club of Charleston through proceeds from the fair have given millions of dollars to worthy local causes. Berkeley Seniors, the Dorchester Child Advocacy Center, Metanoia, Dorchester Habitat for Humanity, and the Low Country Food Bank are just a few of the 50 plus neighborhood organizations that have benefitted from charitable contributions from the fair.
The Exchange Club of Charleston along with the fine staff and volunteers at the Coastal Carolina Fair like to say, ‘supporting the fair supports our community’. While you’re flying high in the sky, maybe enjoying some crazy carnival foods, taking in a concert, or trying to desperately win that stuffed animal for your five-year-old, it’s nice to know that some of the money your spending gets returned to local groups that desperately need our support.
Remember when it comes to the Coastal Carolina Fair this year, it’s ‘All New in 2022’. For more on the fair, the exhibits, competitions, and entertainment visit their website at https://www.coastalcarolinafair.org/
