Sideshow alley

A sideshow alley is an Australian term for amusements, displays, games of skill and chance and fairground rides such as rollercoasters and Ferris wheels associated with another public event. It is similar to the American term Midway. Carnivals, agricultural shows, large school fetes may all boast sideshow alleys.

Sideshows in Australia have changed considerably in the last 40 years. From a Carnival with freakshows and other questionable entertainments, with the games of skill and thrill rides largely family owned and operated, to today's clusterLopsided|date=September 2008 of hotdog on a stick caravans, showbag vendors, worn out thrill rides and concession booths offering the chance to win cheap plush toys, mostly owned by a handful of conglomerates and staffed by road staff and casual local employees.

The removal of freak shows, strip shows and other non-family entertainments in the 1970s significantly impacted on the nature of the Sideshow Alley experience. This was accompanied by the influx of new thrill rides, novelties imported from the US and Europe at vast expense. The cost of these new rides was out of the reach of most owner operators, and the competition for the public dollar meant each year brought new rides. However by the late '80s, the situation had changed; thrill rides in sideshows had begun to price themselves out of the teen market.

Issues with insurance, safety inspections, and social pressure to keep youth from congregating have all taken their toll on the Sideshow Alley experience.