Derby Days 2024!
- navakallc
- Jul 14, 2024
- 3 min read
Carnivals! That simple word brings me so much joy. I’ve grown up listening to childhood stories of all the fairs and carnivals at my parents’ and grandparents’ hometown and have longed to visit one someday. I’ve always lived in a big city, which is why the carnivals there were a lot different than the typical traditional setting. I had even grown fond of them through movies based in USA, including Mary Poppins. I’ve always been an energetic person, seeking thrill rides and fun with friends.
I got the perfect experience when I learned about Derby Days, a carnival in Redmond. The very first time I went, it was just after I had moved to USA, and had no clue there was even going to be a carnival. I simply woke up to the sound of the annual kids and adult parade. I could hear the beat of the drum coursing through my veins as I woke up to the vibration of all the bikes driving through the street. I quickly got up and ran to my balcony, catching the middle of the parade, with big beautiful streamers and an array of all kinds of people, kids on bikes and scooters, adults walking around carrying signs and passing out candy to kids, it was a beautiful spectacle. I soon rushed out of our door, heading immediately to the main area.
There were so many booths lined along the sidewalk, selling baked goods, raising awareness, or promoting their business. Walking alongside the road I finally reached the main attraction. The rides; more specifically, the giant Ferris wheel right in the middle of all the activity. Its colorful baskets seemed to welcome me as I made my way towards it, beautiful lights strung along the lining of the wheel. Sitting in that basket during sunset, with your favorite people is one of my most cherished moments. You can see the entire fair from up there, sparkling in the golden light, people with friends and family making their way to the rides, food or booths.
After covid, last year was the first time I ever experienced the other rides, or went with friends. It was truly an amazing experience. While big theme parks like Disney are amazing, there’s something special about town carnivals. You know a lot of people there, there are personalized things related to your city, and the vibe there is the best I’ve ever seen.
One ride is where you stand in a huge circle with other people in their own section of it, and slowly, it starts spinning and the entire circle starts rising at an angle, faster and faster until you’re spinning at almost 90 degrees, the entire fair visible from high up in the air. It’s a wonderful sight, the adrenaline coursing through you as you hold hands with friends and whoop and holler in jubilation. Heart still racing, I climb out of the ride, running towards our next adventure and smiling with content.
This specific carnival runs for two days, and at the end of the second day, they end the festival with a drone show. It’s always beautiful, the way the drones are all coordinated with each other, flashing lights and creating a huge shape high up in the air, ending with them spelling out DERBY DAYS and the year next to it. The drones are synchronized to the beat of the music, moving and zooming in and out to form planets, food, castles and a beautiful dazzling end to a great carnival.
