Vendors can sell just about anything at Fall Festival

Local businessman Gerald Shulte is a first-time vendor at this year’s Pahrump Fall Festival.

While most, if not all vendors normally set up their booth or tent in the grass at Petrack Park, his display sits just a short distance from the festival grounds, and it won’t be hard to miss.

Shulte brought in a full-sized three bedroom manufactured home.

As the owner of the new Factory Home Center along Highway 160, he figured, why not?

“It was a big expense, but since I own my own transport and setup company, I figured the economy is really turning around and we’ll get a lot of people coming in from Las Vegas. They, and our local residents need to see what the new manufactured homes look like today. I’m the only dealer in southern Nevada,” he said.

Shulte noted that the home he transported is a very popular model that he wanted to give more exposure to during four-day event.

“We brought this floor plan in about two months ago and we sold five of them already. We spent a lot of money on this and we want to make this home as nice as possible for the folks who stop by here,” he said.

Shulte this week was not the only first timer attending the Fall Festival.

Local resident Linda Bradley has lived in Pahrump for 12 years, but has never attended the Fall Festival.

She said she made it a point to at least stop at Petrack Park for at least a few hours over the weekend.

“I don’t know what took me this long. With the baby being old enough this year, he’s able to get out to things, and I thought it would be fun. I also have family members working here. It’s very nice out here and I saw a few of the rides the baby can go on,” she said.

The rides Bradley was referring to are courtesy of Davis Amusements in Pahrump.

For many years, the company has brought in the carnival attraction to the Fall Festival.

Owner Michael Davis said families can expect a wider range of rides this year than in previous years.

“The setup is going really well. The people who manage the park, Matt Luis and his crew was nice enough to let us in on Monday so we got a little bit of a head start, and we’re loving it,” he said.

Additionally, Davis said carnival goers will see their old favorite rides as well as brand new ones this year.

“We brought three or four new rides, other rides that haven’t been here in a while, because the public wanted to see a few extra rides, and we brought it to them. It’s kind of a balancing act for us. Because it’s our hometown, we bring more attractions to Pahrump than we normally take to county fairs. The public feedback here, is that they wanted some more things for the smaller kids and you got to listen to the public,” he said.

The 2014 Pahrump Fall Festival began yesterday and runs through Sunday.

Saturday’s annual kickoff parade begins Saturday at 9 a.m.