Organizers say more than 1,000 people attended the Fall Festival's Special Kids Day

EVANSVILLE — The busloads of happy youngsters who showed up at the West Side Nut Club’s annual Fall Festival early Tuesday morning were undoubtedly the center of attention.

Organizers said at least 1,000 children, volunteers and caretakers partook in Special Kids Day, when the much-beloved festival is dedicated to children who may not normally get to attend due to special needs or sensory issues.

By 9 a.m., the live-action carnival mascots who were waiting to greet the throng of earnest kids became their own center of attention: “Look! It’s Mickey Mouse!” one youth shouted as a crowd formed around the characters.

Marsha and C.J. Thomas brought their great niece, Sadie Bates, to Special Kids Day for the second year running on Tuesday. Both said the event afforded Bates, who is autistic, an opportunity to participate in the fanfare without becoming overwhelmed.

"She enjoys watching the rides go and everything," Marsha said. "She doesn't particularly like getting on the rides, but she got on the slide!"

The slides were a popular attraction, as was the merry-go-round and the Tilt-A-Whirl, a contraption that sends tea-cup-looking vehicles into a dizzying spin.

As the kids jostled around on the rides, volunteers could be heard shouting, "Give me a woohoo!"

Children from schools spanning four counties − Vanderburgh, Gibson, Posey and Warrick − attended the event for free. From rides to carnival games, concessions and lunch, the West Side Nut Club and local supporters coordinated pulling off the most well-attended Special Kids Day to date on Tuesday.

Ronnie Kempf, a longtime "nut clubber" and Special Kids Day organizer, told the Courier & Press that staff ran out of their 1,500 complimentary bolo ties before the clock struck 10 a.m.

"A lot of times, this is the only time that these children can come be on a ride and play games," Kempf said as he stood near a crowd of excited children and equally excited volunteers. "It's not sensory overload, it's not too loud, it's not too busy, and that helps a lot."

The weeklong West Side Nut Club Fall Festival attracts hundreds of thousands of people each year. Veteran attendees will attest that it can become chaotic along Franklin Street as festival goers line up at more than 130 food trucks, dozens of game booths and an array of carnival rides.

In September, USAToday named the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival the best event in its category nationwide.

The crowds, noise, and wild rides can make it difficult for children with special needs to participate in the festivities. That's why in 1990, a carnival ride operator suggested staging a unique event for special-needs children.

Kempf said the first iteration of Special Kids Day attracted about 100 children, parents and volunteers. On Tuesday, the total number of attendees topped 1,000.

Volunteers act as guides for children who do not have a chaperone or parent, and they hail from a variety of local businesses, nonprofits and government agencies. High schoolers make up a large component of the volunteer force that makes Special Kids Day possible.

Jim Peckenpaugh volunteered Tuesday alongside his coworkers from Veolia North America. As he stood near the entrance to the event, Peckenpaugh explained how important the day was to both him and the children.

"You do what the kids want to do," Peckenpaugh said. "They focus on rides and games for these kids. They get to do whatever they want to do, and they get to do it for free ... It's a very special day."

The West Side Nut Club coordinates with local businesses to provide each child with a free lunch, in addition to free rides, games and concessions. Kempf said that Wendy's and G.D. Ritzy's provided cheeseburgers and ice cream.

And, it wouldn't be a West Side event without Grippos: The city's favorite potato chip distributor donated hundreds of bags of its famous crisps for Special Kids Day.

"I think that the consensus among most of us nut clubbers is that this is one of the best things we do," Kempf said. "It's really grown to a size where we're going to have to figure out what our next step is."

The crowds were so large this year that the West Side Nut Club announced on Sept. 26 that its guest list for Special Kids Day had already reached capacity. That forced organizers to stage two free lunch sessions, instead of one, at the nearby VFW clubhouse.

But the high turnout is exactly what organizers want.

"You can't do this without everybody," Kempf said. "We can't do all of this without the volunteers helping. There's just no way."

By early afternoon, Franklin Street was crowded with adults and children alike who came to partake in the fall festival's signature food, comradery and fun. As Special Kids Day wound down, the tired volunteers, kids and staff still couldn't help but smile.

Houston Harwood can be contacted at houston.harwood@courierpess.com

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: West Side Nut Club hosts Special Kids Day at Fall Festival