Mini carnival ride complete after 30 years

Jul. 19—CUMBERLAND, Md. — The sight of a carousel in Florida over the winter inspired Kevin Kamauf to finish a project he abandoned three decades ago.

This week, his handmade model carousel is displayed in the multi-purpose building at the Allegany County Fair & Ag Expo.

The mini amusement ride was a long time coming, said Kamauf, manager of the fair since 2001 and assistant manager of the event for 17 years before that.

The ornate and fully functional model has ties to his longtime friendship with fellow carnival lovers Don Cummons and his wife Shirley of Bay City, Michigan.

"Don and I met in 1988 at a trade show in Tampa, Florida," Kamauf said. "We hit it off from the get-go."

Don Cummons, who made numerous pieces that are part of the model railroad display at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, built integral parts of Kamauf's carousel including the center post, crankshafts, poles for the animals and motorized mechanisms.

"He made it 30 years ago," Kamauf said. "I bought it from him with the intention of making a stained glass carousel with stained glass horses that go up and down and around."

Kamauf has experience in that area. He worked at his family's business, Reliable Glass Company in Cresaptown, from the early 1950s until last year.

But when he started to construct the carousel in the early 1990s, a key component was bent, and Kamauf got frustrated and set the project under a table.

Decades passed, and in February he saw a double-decker carousel at the Florida State Fair.

Kamauf took photos of the attraction, which became his muse, and reunited with his old project.

Without a pattern, Kamauf created stained-glass pieces including the base, middle and top for the 22-square-inch machine.

Then he made 30 critters, including a frog, rabbit, pig and variety of horses, for the unit.

"The animals are all cast out of Alumalite," Kamauf said of an epoxy concoction.

He said Cresaptown resident Rosemary Reid painted and decorated the creatures.

"She did an amazing job," Kamauf said.

Now, the working carousel, which won a blue ribbon and showcase award at the fair Monday, is illuminated with 12-volt LED lights similar to those sometimes used on motorcycles.

"I like everything lit up," he said.

Although the project started more than 30 years ago, Kamauf said he learned a lot in a short period of time, given that he completed the carousel in the past few months.

"There was lots of trial and error to get the tilt right," Kamauf said. "But I'm just totally in awe of how it looks."

He credited Don Cummons and Reid for bringing the project to life.

"I had two wonderful helpers," Kamauf said. "Now I'm ready to build another one."

Sarah Llewellyn said she liked the uniqueness of the animals on the carousel.

"There's such a variety," she said of whimsical characters including a horse/mermaid.

Llewellyn, master gardener coordinator and agriculture and food systems educator for the University of Maryland Extension in Allegany County, talked of myriad handcrafted and home grown products, which range from flowers to photos, exhibited at the fair.

"It's neat to see the creativity that's here," she said.

Llewellyn's handmade items, including an elaborate quilt are also displayed at the fair.

"This one was a labor of love," she said of the project that took roughly two years to complete.

Virginia Martin of Wiley Ford, West Virginia, was at the fair with five of her creations born from a new hobby she learned while in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She and her roommate at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia, bought some yarn and watched YouTube videos that taught them how to crochet.

Martin — who has since graduated with a bachelor's degree in math, a minor in computer science, and is looking for a job — crafted gnomes, a stuffed Schnauzer toy, blanket, ghost doily, and shawl that she entered in a competition at the fair and won several awards including a first-place ribbon.

The fair includes a variety of family-friendly attractions, said Allegany County Farm Bureau President TR Robinette, who is also a member of the Ag Expo board.

He leads the fair's annual baked goods auction that last year raised more than $6,000 for the Allegany Agricultural Expo Scholarship Fund.

"We've donated over $150,000 in scholarship (money) over the years," he said.

Robinette encouraged folks to visit the fair.

"Please come to the multi-purpose building and see what it has to offer," he said. "This is the first year we've had (Future Farmers of America) back in the county and are looking forward to years to come from their involvement."

More information about the fair, including a downloadable program, is listed on the event's website at alleganycofair.org.

Teresa McMinn is a reporter for the Cumberland Times-News. She can be reached at 304-639-2371 or tmcminn@times-news.com.