Games, Rides and Fried Oreos

A few months ago I asked for suggestions of places I should visit for this Only in Glen Burnie column that did not involve food.

Thanks to Patch reader and contributor Jennifer Donatelli, I put the on my calendar and anxiously awaited its arrival.

Being out of town for opening weekend, I contacted my friends at the and let them know I would be there Monday night to take it all in.

Unfortunately about 20 minutes after I arrived, the event was called due to storms in the area (much to the chagrin of many patrons who had just purchased their $20 unlimited-rides wristbands). I rushed off before the rain began and promised to return Tuesday night.

Tuesday night seemed to have drawn an even bigger crowd as hundreds of area residents already packed the fairgrounds by 7:30 p.m. It was really nice to see so many families out enjoying the night, playing games and getting on rides—many families that have been coming to the carnival for years.

As I wandered the grounds, I noticed many people walking around with lamps. I stopped over at the Lamp Stand and spoke with volunteer Tom Dixon about one of the carnival’s most popular games.

“It’s the most popular game,” he said, correcting me.

As I stood there speaking with Dixon, the booth was constantly busy with people playing the game of chance for the opportunity to win one of the 500 to 600 lamps—featuring 21 different scenes—that would be given out that year. Even as I stood there for about 10 minutes, 10-year-old Kaitlyn Long of Pasadena and her family won a lamp. She chose one with dolphins on it.

But even more than the number of people walking the grounds with lamps, I kept hearing about the new food being offered this year at the carnival—fried candy bars, potato ribbons and fried Oreos.

Diane Montier, owner of , was manning the sales at the booth selling the fried Oreos and said it had been the most popular item she sold all night. That was it. Even though I vowed to shun all food-related suggestions, I knew I had to check these Oreos out.

I talked my friend into buying a batch (four cookies for $3) and tried my cookie. How can something be so right and so wrong all at one time? It’s definitely an experience I’m glad I had. It’s not often I get the opportunity to try fried Oreos.

I played a game at the (just one game, and I didn’t win) and rode one ride (the Samurai is a different experience than the one I remember from my days in high school) and called it a night.

I can see why everyone gets so excited about the event that’s been around since 1908. As GBIA Vice President Candy Fontz posted on the Glen Burnie Patch Facebook page, “Guess this is kind of like ‘Christmas in July’ for some of us, huh?”

Thanks for the suggestion Jennifer!