Trick or treat on the Midway

Staffers determine which games are worth the tickets at the State Fair

Alexis Russell, Joeley Hedgcoxe, and Lily Hager • October 9, 2018

TRL’s Lily Hager attempts to climb a rope ladder to win a prize.

The Midway, a long strip of carnival games and rides centrally located on the grounds, is an essential part of the State Fair experience. Lined with enormous stuffed animals and alluring prizes, the Midway is every kid’s dream. Yet, if you are a first-time fairgoer, there are some booths you should stay away from. Despite this, there are also a handful of enjoyable games that will make your fair experience that much better. Listed below are 5 games described in detail:

Rip-offs:

Tubs of fun: What looks to be the easiest ride at the fair is actually the most deceiving of them all. Before you pay, the booth worker allows you a trial. The operator successfully tosses a ball into a bucket from his position inside the tent, then hands you a ball for a practice toss and you easily make it in. Gaining confidence in your abilities, you hand over your money. They reset the game, you try again. This time the ball pops right out of the bucket. No oversized stuffed unicorn for you. Why? On your practice throw, the ball that was already in the bucket deadened the impact of the ball you threw, so it stayed in. When they removed both balls from the bucket, it became pretty much impossible for a ball to stay in the bucket without ricocheting right back out. It was all a sham and you walk away feeling like the biggest idiot in the world. -AR

Ring toss: Because this game offers you upwards of 20 rings, you automatically feel like you have a better chance to win. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how many rings you’re allotted, what bottle you go fo, or even how perfect your form is because this game is nearly impossible. The rings are just a hair wider than the bottle top and made of plastic that bounces off the glass. If anyone demonstrates the ring toss successfully, he or she is probably using a larger ring or dropping it from directly overhead, which is impossible from your position outside of the booth. Sadly, this classic game is a no-go. -AR

Basketball: Even for the most avid hoopers, this is one game to avoid for multiple reasons. The rims tend to be smaller and more oval-shaped, and a lot of the time the height of the basket is too high. The balls are usually over-inflated, making them bouncier. And some hoops even lack a backboard. In order to win, your shot would have to accommodate all of these conditions by having an unbelievably high arch with absolutely no room for error, among other things. This sort of shot is unorthodox and would probably get you ridiculed at the Y. –AR

Worth it:

Balloon “Darts”: For this game, pinpoint accuracy isn’t required. A good arm and powerful punch will pop the balloons. Instead of darts, you throw plastic-bead-filled toy balls, which push the balloon into the spike behind it, popping the balloon. The balloons on the wall aren’t blown up all the way, making the rubber thicker and harder to pop, but the chances of winning this game are higher than one may think. This game offers a fair chance at winning, unlike other Midway games, but if you want a big prize, you have to play twice to rack up five or more points. You get what you pay for with this game. -JH

Water Guns: To simplify the experience of this game, it’s the least-rigged game on the Midway and players are guaranteed a prize. The easiest way to win this game is to play it with a friend or two to get whatever prizes you would want. The catch for this method is that you have to pay double for two rounds if you want the big prizes. This game is definitely targeted towards younger fair-goers because of the easy win concept, but no game is perfect. The water spouted from the guns is released at inconsistent pressures, which makes choosing a gun like a game of roulette. If a player chooses the water gun with low pressure, then sorry bud, you’re not winning. -JH

Breaking plates: This challenging game has a lot to offer, from the pride of throwing the weighted ball fast enough to shatter a plate, to the thrill of choosing a stuffed animal. The first attempt was difficult. Calibrating to the ball and the distance between the counter and the plates takes a few misses. However, with a few more tickets, staffer and athlete Grace Nguyen broke two plates and was rewarded a small prize of her choice. This game is no giveaway, but you do feel good walking away with a prize you earned. -LH

About the Contributors

Alexis Russell, Staff Writer

Alexis Russell is a senior this year, and it is her second year on staff. She mostly writes about sports, including volleyball, basketball, and baseball. Her favorite teams are the Mavs and Cowboys, and her most prized possession is an autographed cardboard cutout of Dirk Nowitzki’s head. Her hobbies include wake surfing, skiing, and sitting in her massage chair. Her all-time favorite movie is Dodgeball, and her favorite band is Del Water Gap. After graduation, she hopes to study International Relations at either UT or Arizona. She looks forward to a great year with The Red Ledger.

Joeley Hedgcoxe, Staff Writer

Back in the journalism swing with new ambitions, sophomore Joeley Hedgcoxe is hitting The Red Ledger again as a photographer, going with God’s calling and making a change in her study habits this year. She’s a dedicated performer for the school’s Color Guard, and feels her best when she’s performing with the rest of her beloved team or surrounded by her houseplants. Her favorite movies are made by Wes Anderson, and she’s a music lover at heart, never leaving home without her earbuds. Her favorite song is Alien Boy by Oliver Tree, and she’s a huge fan of Joji, Bastille, and Gorillaz. She spends her free time on facetime calls with friends, listening to music, painting or spinning her guard equipment outside. Whether she’s a plant lover, performer, photographer, or just herself, Joeley wouldn’t change anything about her.

Lily Hager, Editor-In-Chief

With the coming of her fourth and final year of high school, Lily Hager eagerly awaits the senior perks that accompany all who suffer from “senioritis”–including off periods, senior overalls and dual credit. Her freshman, sophomore and junior years were occupied by marching band, newspaper, several AP classes and leadership positions (including being drum major of the band and editor in chief of The Red Ledger junior year). Hager thrives any day that involves journaling, bible studies, time spent with friends or family, and ice cream. Her time at home is largely spent in her room, which she so carefully designed for the past several years into a safe haven. She fills her (rare) free time by cleaning, writing, reading, planning or talking (whether that be to her parents, her friends or her pet bunny, Boots). Despite her burning excitement for college at A&M, she is committed to enjoying her last year as an editor, conducting her last show, and living her last year in her childhood home. Last, but not least, she is certain to take advantage of one last year of writing, editing, and loving TRL.

Jackie Carroll, LNN Executive Producer

Easily spotted by her signature maroon Vans or paint-stained Nikes, senior Jackie Carroll is (kind of) ready to take on senior year. Although she doesn’t often wear one to school, Jackie is slowly amassing a collection of hats and lives for the opportunity to sport her favorite baseball cap. You truly don’t know Jackie well enough if she hasn’t mentioned that her favorite movies are Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and you surely won't get far in a conversation without her bringing it up. Outside of the classroom, Jackie can be seen sporting her “Swimmer Things” swim cap as captain of the swim team or wearing a whistle around her neck while working as a lifeguard. Jackie is super excited to spend friday nights in the press box or on the sidelines working the digital scoreboard at football games, or afternoons in the classroom working as Executive Producer of Leopard Spotlight during her third year on the Lovejoy News Network Staff.

Kelsey Carroll, Section Editor

Senior Kelsey Carroll has never owned a dog or a cat, but she’s the proud caretaker of two mini cacti living their life on her windowsill, and she thinks that’s just enough. She never forgets to water them weekly, as she’s a fond planner user who prides herself on writing down just about any task, even “write staff bio,” which she just proudly accomplished. When she’s not strumming twangy ukulele chords in her bedroom on the weekends or attempting to play a cello countermelody in class during the week, Kelsey can be found dancing to whatever plays in her earbuds (which are constantly on her) while editing photos until her laptop battery dies each night. Her days start before the sun’s up at swim team, and end with her furiously deciding which of her 16 pairs of Harry Potter socks to wear the next day. Whether she’s shooting sideline photos and dodging officials on the football field, or manning a jumbotron camera for the fans to see, Kelsey loves to be involved in any visual coverage she can get her hands on. Although she’s soft spoken, Kelsey hopes to share stories through her photos and writing as she tackles her roles as photographer, community editor, and social media editor during her fourth and final year on staff.

Grace Nguyen, Section Editor

Fueled daily by three iced vanilla coffees, standing at 5’2”, Grace Nguyen will walk into the E103 door with no problem. Grace is entering senior year, and the only reason she is believed to have survived high school is because of the napping couch in the photography studio. During her time on staff, Grace has been to almost every football game, win or loss, and wouldn’t have changed a thing. Yes, Grace has been tackled by football players, run over by coaches, and body slammed by referees. Nonetheless, Grace will confidently walk on the field this year, bruises and all, alongside her sideline media team. Stepping outside the newsroom, which is rare, Grace enjoys playing softball, hanging out with family and friends, and finding excuses to go to every $3 Pazookie Tuesdays at BJ’s. After high school, Grace hopes to pursue a career in sports photojournalism, so watch out for her still getting run over by athletes on ESPN in the years to come. Although it’s bittersweet to leave newspaper upon graduation, Grace is thankful for all the opportunities that she’s had on staff. Through The Red Ledger, Grace created long-lasting friendships and won a lot of awards that she never imagined was possible. Grace hopes that current and future staffers will think of this national-award-winning publication the same way as she did–a second family and their home away from home.