Cotton candy, mini donuts, games and amusement rides.
    When West Coast Amusements (WCA) arrives in Drumheller, it is a sure sign summer is just around the corner.
    Bob and Wendy Hauser, owners/operators of WCA, from Chiliwack, British Columbia, have been coming to the Valley for many years with their family, bring their rides, treats and games to Drumheller. They stop in between rodeos and stampedes to give residents memories of the carnival.
    Bob has been coming to the Valley for over 30 years he said, and remembers when the carnival use to take place downtown. He said a few years back, they moved to the Co-op parking lot because it gave them more space to set up.
    “We have been treated so well here by the merchants,” Bob said when asked why they bring WCA to Drumheller each year.
    “We have had great reception from the public, they love coming out. It is just part of our schedule,” he said.
    The group of 75 rides, games and concession operators came from a stop in Calgary and is passing through on their way to Brooks for the rodeo. Bob said he is third generation with WCA. His grandfather came from England and sold ice cream, candyfloss and hot dogs, but it was his mom and dad that started the carnival side. He explained that his dad, who is 90 years old, and mom, who is 86, are both still involved in the business today.
    “We are in the fifth generation now,” Bob said. The Hausers’ children and even their seven grandchildren, the oldest being 12, help out where they can when it comes to WCA and the operation.
    He said his parents started out a long time ago with a travelling animal show and it later turned into games and rides.
    “(They were) never, ever thinking they would wind up running a carnival. They just wanted to make a living and feed the family like lots of businesses when they start out,” he said.
    Bob and Wendy both agreed, they see a lot of families that come year after year.
    “A lot of our guys, they watch the families grow. A lot of these guys have been here 10 or 20 years,” Bob said. Wendy finished by saying, “They really remember our guys year after year."

Car enthusiasts mark your calendars for this weekend.
    The annual Three Hills Cruise Weekend takes place Friday to Sunday (June 5-7) and is jam-packed with activities for everyone.
    The weekend will kick-off with a meet, greet and cruise that begins at Anderson Park at 6 p.m. The cruise will take place at about 8 p.m.
    “We cruise up to the highway and then north to Trochu and around town, then back to Three Hills and then we cruise around town till dusk,” Dennis Fox, Chairman of the Cruise weekend committee said.
    At dusk the movie, “American Graffiti” will be shown drive-in style on 6 Ave. north of the prairie gym.
    Saturday is the Street Freaks’ Show & Shine taking place on Main Street at Railway Ave. It starts at 10 a.m. and goes until mid-afternoon. There will also be a live band playing throughout the day and an engine-build contest.
    The mile bracket racing will start at the airport with time trials taking place at 3 p.m. and racing beginning at 5 p.m.
After the racing, there will be a cruise cabaret at the Three Hills Curling Club taking place in the evening.
    Sunday morning will feature racing back at the airport with time trials starting at 10 a.m. and racing at 1 p.m.
    Admission for the races is $10. Those 12 and under are free. The racer entry fee is $60 per day.
    The money from these entry fees goes to various charities and volunteer groups.
    “We have several volunteer groups that are getting a share of the proceeds. These volunteer groups are helping us do the event,” Fox said.
    There are approximately a dozen groups that are helping with the event. Any other proceeds will go to other community projects, he said.