[ CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN ]
E.K. Fernandez Show's carnival and circus business originated prior to World War I. Fernandez is recognized for bringing the first steam-driven merry-go-round and Ferris wheel to Hawaii. Now run by a third generation of the Fernandez family, E.K.'s fairs are still a thriving source of entertainment, having evolved to bring in an array of performers and stage acts. E.K. Fernandez works
at making smilesCelebrating its 100th anniversary next
year, the family-owned amusement company
runs carnivals and the Fun FactoryBy Nancy Arcayna
narcayna@starbulletin.comKane Fernandez, whose first job was pitching peanuts at the circus, began running the show after his father E.K. died in 1970. Kane Fernandez died last January, and now other family members continue the tradition to thrill kids of all ages.
Scott Fernandez, Kane's son, serves as chief operating officer for Fernandez Entertainment. Scott started working in the business as a stock boy at age 12.
"My grades were terrible. I worked for the entire summer, every day. I attended a private school and had to pay my parents back the tuition money.
"We would work 15- to 20-hour days," said Scott Fernandez, because the family was there when the tents were pitched and when it finally came all down.
"It was the best business school I could have attended," he said.
He attributes the company's success to the lessons in character and discipline taught by his parents. "Teaching kids how to make it down the road themselves is what every parent wants," he said. "My sisters and I learned at a young age where a dollar comes from and how hard it is to make it.
PHOTO BY SENDA STUDIO / 1936
Part of the E.K. Fernandez Circus troupe was captured in this vintage panoramic photo taken in November 1936 by Senda Studio of Lihue, Kauai. Click here for full picture (172k).
"My father was a great visionary, and my mother was the operational guru who knew how to make things work. They were a great team."
E.K. Fernandez got his start utilizing a new technology in 1903: showing movies. The films became so popular that he gravitated toward live entertainment, and the first circus, comprising 20 performers and six animals, was presented in 1915.
Specialty acts of all kinds, including rodeos and ice shows, followed.
"We produce smiles. The carnival is interactive, and the energy level is almost impossible to reproduce. Sometimes it can be frustrating and maddening," said Scott Fernandez, "but when you see little kids having a kick, it's great fun to be out there."
Every time a small child tugs on his leg to ask where to find the merry-go-round, Fernandez knows he's doing his job right.
And there's no slacking. The public continues to demand new equipment and thrilling acts, said Fernandez, who receives letters outlining attractions people want to see here.
Fernandez remembered his grandmother's stories about cotton candy's arrival. "It looks simple nowadays, but cotton candy wasn't always at the carnival. It was a new technology back in the '30s," he said. "People would gather around as they put sugar into a big machine. Entertainment is constantly evolving.
"We are also always looking for the newest retail concept within the entertainment realm," Fernandez said. The family operates Jungle Fun and Fun Factory arcades, in addition to the fairs.
E.K. Fernandez has evolved into a multimillion-dollar business and plans to celebrate its 100th anniversary next year.
Founded: 1903 E.K. Fernandez
Named after: E.K. Fernandez
Number of employees: 350 to 400, depending on season
What they do: Carnivals, arcades and entertainment
