By Keith Whitcomb Jr. THE RUTLAND HERALD
BRANDON, Vt. — When it comes to hosting a successful annual event, the key is keeping it fresh.
Free admission and free parking help, too, said Colleen Wright, assistant to the recreation director, about the Brandon Carnival, which begins Thursday at Estabrook Park and runs through the weekend.
“We always try to change it up, so people don’t get bored,” she said.
Many of the main attractions at the carnival have been musical. Country singer Jamie Lee Thurston played one year, there was a battle of the bands, a school concert. This year, the carnival is looking to its past for something new and exciting: professional wrestling.
The carnival hosted a pro wrestling show in its first year. This year, PAC Wrestling, out of Witherbee, New York, will be at the carnival on Thursday.
“These guys are great,” said Wright. “They’ve got a professional ring, they’ve got characters, we’ve got ring girls going around with their names up, we’ve made it into a big deal, so it’s going to be awesome.”
Justin Gaddor, one of the founders of PAC Wrestling, said Tuesday that the show Thursday will be family-friendly and enjoyable for casual fans as well as for true believers.
“Every now and then a little bad word might pop out, but we try to mask it,” he said.
Gaddor wrestles under the name Scrap Iron. He’ll be facing Señor Grande, who locals might know better as Tyler Simpson. The two were friends when they were younger, but Simpson moved away and now lives in Vermont.
“He likes the lucha (libre) stuff,” said Gaddor of his opponent. “He’s a taller, bigger guy, but he can move around like he’s Rey Mysterio sometimes, he’s pretty agile. He’s always loved the luchador style, the Mexican style of wrestling, and gravitates towards that.”
PAC Wrestling performers are all professionally trained, said Gaddor. They got their start in the back yards but in 2010 began doing shows for charity. Their first charitable event was in the parking lot of a deli where they raised money for a resident with cystic fibrosis. Since then they’ve raised money for food pantries, cancer charities and lately suicide awareness. Folks can expect comedy, drama, and action from a PAC Wrestling show, he said.
Also on Thursday, at the wrestling show, Arturo Mendiola, of Brandon, will be presented with a championship belt acknowledging his dominance in Swiss roll-eating contests, according to Wright.
Friday’s carnival will see One for the Road, an ’80s cover band, belting out favorite tunes. On Saturday there will be a street dance following a trivia competition. Sunday will feature the Beyond the Barn Farm Petting Zoo.
“They’ve got alpacas, a mini pony,” said Wright. “They’re really nice people and they moved to town about a year ago, and they take beautiful care of their animals.”
Wright said when she books attractions such as petting zoos she personally visits where the animals are kept to make sure they’re being well-cared for before booking them.
Miller’s Amusements, out of New Hampshire, will once again supply the rides, food and games for the carnival. According to Wright, $25 allows one to ride as much as they like for five hours. Some of the proceeds go to the Brandon Toy Project, she said, usually enough to fund most of the project for the year.
This is the carnival’s second year since coming back from the pandemic. Last year, it’s estimated that 10,000 people attended through the course of the entire event. Wright expects a high turnout once again.
The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures in the mid to low 80s Thursday through Saturday. Wright said there will be misting stations for people to keep cool while enjoying the carnival.
keith.whitcomb @rutlandherald.com
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