Holm Auto Good News: Fair vendor serving funnel cakes to support Kansas Food Bank - Salina Journal

Though the coronavirus pandemic has caused the cancellation of fairs across the country, one Kansas company is bringing a favorite aspect — sweet food — to cities in the state, including Salina this week, and helping to feed people in the process.

Every day from noon to 10 p.m., Ottaway Amusement Co., which has been the carnival provider at the Tri-Rivers Fair for years, is at the Mid State Plaza parking lot, 2450 S. Ninth St., serving sweet fair foods, including funnel cake.

Part of the proceeds from sales will support the Kansas Food Bank, which serves over 700 hunger-relief partners in 85 Kansas counties, including in Saline County. Ottaway has been serving food across the state, beginning in its home of Wichita, since July and has raised over $52,000 for the food bank.

Owner Danny Ottaway said the company provides carnival rides at several fairs, but when the pandemic hit, the fair business took a hit as well.

"Due to COVID, there’s no carnivals," Ottaway said.

Salina is the seventh city in which Ottaway has stopped since July, and it’s been non-stop since then.

"We have not missed a single day of operations since we opened," Ottaway said. "We’ll close in one town, pack it up and roll to the next one to be open the next day."

The people in the places where they’ve stopped are excited to see the funnel cake trailer too. Ottaway serves not only funnel cake, which starts at $7, but other sweet fair foods, such as soft-serve ice cream and fried Oreos.

"Everybody’s ecstatic to get something of what used to be normal," Ottaway said. "They drive by and see something that looks carnival or looks fair, and of course everybody loves funnel cakes and deep-fried Oreos, it’s been really great."

He said it’s been a strange summer for him as he is a fourth-generation owner and operator of the company that has been part of the majority of his life.

"I’ve not had a summer with any time at home since I was 6 years old, and I’m 63 now," Ottaway said.

As strange a time as it has been for him, Ottaway said, he knows it’s a strange and difficult time for others as well and he wants to be able to help out any way he can.

"As hard of times as this for a lot of people I try to find the bright side of everything," Ottaway said. "No, I’m not making as much money, but I’m certainly enjoying my summer doing something and selling funnel cakes."

Ottaway said he plans to be in Salina at least through the weekend and will possibly stay longer, depending on how well sales go. The next stop for Ottaway Amusement’s funnel cake trailer is unknown at this point, but Ottaway said he’s hoping to get to McPherson and Junction City sometime soon.

For more information, including updates on where the trailer will be, visit the company’s Facebook page, Ottaway Amusement Co.