Fair fans try their hand at Midway games
Like many fairgoers, Dave Moran is convinced that midway games are rigged and you simply can't win. But if you watch one of these things long enough — and it might take a while — you'll hear a siren go off.
Chee Xiong came to the fair from Brooklyn Center and she won a giant stuffed pig. How? She threw a little plastic ring onto an old glass coke bottle.
Cory Miller, who runs the ring toss, gave up this little tidbit:
"The game was designed so kids will win. You notice when kids play they shoot up. Parents throw down. Kids always win."
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There may be a technique, but winning is still about chance, Miller said.
"Don't get me wrong. It's pure luck, pure luck," Miller said. "There's no skill to this game at all."
One can also try their hand at darts at the fair. Wendell Brown was on hot streak at throwing darts. He shared his strategy:
"The thing is to take your time, breathe and aim with one eye," Brown said. "Pretend you're winking at a pretty chick, and throw it."
Out of luck, and no skill? How about a game of upper body strength?
It can't take that much strength to throw a ball and smash a plate. In this game, there's just row after row of brand new China plates.
Robert Kitt, who runs the booth, laid out the rules.
"Two balls, three tickets, you break two. You win."
Pretty simple.
Kitt's new to running this game, but he's done pretty much every other carnival attraction out there. And he's got a spew for all of them.
That's what carnival workers call their pitch, Kitt said.
"One the rides, on the rides it's four to fly, four to try and four to blow your mind. Yah if you're in line then you're right on time," Kitt spews.
Just buy plenty of tickets.
Related: A day of eating at the Minnesota State Fair
