Editor’s note: The Daily Press is running a series of articles highlighting the history and uniqueness of local businesses. This series will run periodically in the Daily Press.
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ESCANABA — A local family has built a business over six generations, and their latest exhibition drew thousands of people to Escanaba last week.
In 1857, Frank Skelbeck Sr., who lived in Bohemia (a historic European country that is now part of the Czech Republic), sold his former factory and started a circus instead. In the 1880s, his son Frank Jr. brought his family to America, settling in Wisconsin on land he bought without ever seeing it.
The early Skelbeck Circus consisted of a traveling tent act and practiced in a large barn: Frank Jr. was a sword swallower, his wife Mary was a snake charmer, and many of the children were trapeze artists with their father.
In 1897, a merry-go-round became the first ride, allowing the Skarbek family’s show to continue to tour as a blend of both circus (a term generally referring to a performance) and carnival (which has various meanings, but here refers to a ride).
When the third generation of Skarbeck owners (Frank Jr.’s sons, Joe and Gus) took over, it included all the rides, shows and concessions. Joe’s children, Eugene and Pauline, took over in the 1950s. By the ’70s, Eugene and wife Arlene’s children, Joe and Bill, were running the show with their spouses, Debra and CJ, respectively. Over the next few decades, the business, then operated as Skarbeck Brothers Shows, grew even larger.
In addition to the explosion in popularity, facilities and demand, the family itself has grown in size, allowing it to be split into multiple businesses owned by various branches of the descendants of entrepreneur Frank Skarbek Sr.
Now, “we have three separate cousin groups in Wisconsin and Michigan, each running their own carnival companies,” said Sonia Skarbek, one of five co-owners of the Skarbek Entertainment Group, the anchor of the Upper Peninsula State Fair in Escanaba.
Siblings Jamie Skarbeck, Niki Skarbeck and Tory Burrows purchased the property from their parents Joe and Debra in 2015 and are the sixth generation to be involved in the outdoor amusements industry, running the business with spouses John Burrows and Sonia (Jamie’s wife).
Aside from a one-day event in Detroit in November to raise funds for the Thanksgiving Parade, their season is a jam-packed six months from April through October setting up, operating and taking down booths offering rides, food and games. During that time, they provide entertainment at the Minnesota State Fair, four events in Indiana and many events in their home state of Michigan.
“For me, preparing for a show is like a little miracle every week!” says Sonia. “It requires a huge amount of logistical consideration, with the placement of equipment at the midpoint being done with inch-perfect precision to get everything in place. Alternating semi-trailers and regular ball-and-hitch trailers stream into the venue, so highway traffic isn’t held up as the equipment is pulled in and set up.”
She said some equipment and staff will travel to the venue a week in advance for larger events to ensure they are ready on time. Employees will be provided with food and drinks for short breaks on-site. Outside contractors, such as pressure washers, will be hired to help set up the venue.
Over 100 employees are with Skerbeck Entertainment Group. It takes all of these employees and more to put on the UP State Fair. The UP State Fair is made possible through the efforts of the UP State Fair Administration, the Delta County Chamber of Commerce and all the local exhibitors, vendors, artists and volunteers who come together each August.
Though it’s only a week long, Sonia says the UP State Fair is unique and special. Not only is Escanaba the owners’ hometown, “it’s really great to see friends and family every day along the way,” Sonia says, but it also literally feels more like home.
“This is the only event where local foods such as white fish and chocolates will be sold at vendor booths,” she added.
This fair is run differently than other fairs that Skelbex visits.
“Every county in the UP and the Hannaville Tribe will send representatives to take on leadership roles in the running of the fair,” she explained, “This ensures true representation of the Upper Peninsula in the planning and perfectly reflects the agricultural fair and vendors from across the UP.”
Seeing the colorful lights, smelling the elephant ears and touring the barns leaves many visitors feeling a sense of nostalgia, but that only scratches the surface.
“Behind the scenes, onlookers may not realize that we are moving through a makeshift city with over 100 employees who live next door to us. The staff working for us are from the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Belarus. The kitchen area of our campsite is filled with the wonderful aromas of cooking different types of food, and our staff speaks multiple languages. Some of our American staff have their children with them who travel with us during the summer, and it’s fun to watch them grow and run around together in the best playground in the world. It’s a family-like environment, and our staff cares for each other,” Sonia said.
Adea Melgarejo Carreón is one of about 1,000 H-2B visa workers from Mexico who also work on Mackinac Island as seasonal workers. Since she started working for Skarbek in 2018, Melgarejo has become a valuable returning employee. She has gotten used to the six-month work schedule, but said she looks forward to returning to Mexico in the fall, where her family and her business are.
It’s hard work. It involves long hours away from home and physical labor in all weather conditions. “We need to have the same staff on hand while we’re open, and we also need to provide safe operations and great customer service,” Sonia says. “Finding a quality workforce with this skill set can be a challenge at times. … When returning employees are not available, we may need to reduce equipment operations and hire more inexperienced personnel. In these situations, background checks, drug testing, and training requirements can be time-consuming and challenging.”
Once the rides are in place, “daily safety checks and inspections are done on all rides before we open and throughout the day,” Sonia explains. “These safety inspections are done by qualified inspectors on our staff. We are also subject to local government inspections and are inspected annually by the State of Michigan.”
Co-owner John Burrows is a nationally certified safety supervisor who in the past served on the Michigan Carnival Amusement Safety Commission, assisting the Department of Licensing and Regulation.
“We are proud of our safety record and are happy to share that with anyone who wants to know more,” Sonia said.
She said it’s rewarding to see families enjoying themselves in the bright lights of the fair, and it’s also rewarding to know the local community benefits from the business the fair brings in.
“Running a carnival company has many challenges, but also many opportunities if you’re willing to work hard and think creatively.”
Overcoming obstacles is rewarding, but sometimes just waiting can be difficult.
“There are long lead times from suppliers of rides, ride parts, vinyl roofs and other Midway parts,” Sonia said, adding that she has ordered a new ride that is due to arrive from the Czech Republic.
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