Step right up: 12-year-old creates backyard carnival
For fifth straight year, boy creates carnival for neighborhood kids
BY TOM CAIAZZA
Staff Writer

PHOTOSBY ERIC SUCAR staff Above: Another volunteer falls victim to "The Soaker" at Michael Palughi's carnival on July 28. At right: Jenna Cerra, 9, of Edison bounces on the trampoline.

EDISON - If you close your eyes, you can almost smell the funnel cake.

Children run from attraction to attraction, throwing balls at the bull's eye in the makeshift dunk tank and winning prizes at the various booths and games. One would think they were at a carnival, and they were. The only difference is that it was Michael Palughi's backyard carnival - and he's only 12 years old.

Palughi has been holding an annual carnival in his backyard since he was 7 years old. Palughi is now a veteran carnival owner, creating rides and games that mirror the real-life counterparts he loves.

"I have always liked carnival games," he said while running one of the six booths he designed. "I'm really happy doing this."

Every year, the carnival in the Palughi backyard gets bigger and bigger, said Frank Palughi, Michael's father. They charge no admission and built nearly everything themselves, including rides and games that are smaller versions of real carnival attractions.

Michael and his father go to all the carnivals in the area days before they open, to watch the workers put the rides together. The Palughis build all the attractions, buy the prizes, run the watermelon-eating contests, and invite the neighborhood to enjoy a fun afternoon at a carnival close to home.

Michael said that planning for the carnival begins in mid-winter, and every year they try to incorporate new and better attractions. Creating and working the carnival, Michael said, is more exciting than playing at it.

"I have more fun back here than playing the actual games," Michael said as he ran the spinning-wheel game popular at carnivals and boardwalks.

Frank Palughi said that he and Michael have a lot of help in putting the carnival together every year - from aunts and uncles, sisters and grandparents.

"It really is a family affair," he said.

During the off-season, Michael busies himself by building scale models of carnival rides, some of his own design. His father said there is something more to the models than simply a ride, though. Like real carnival rides, they fold up and break down for transportation to the next town.

Michael is a rising eighth-grader at St. Helena School in Edison and last year had the lead in the school's production of "Godspell."

His family is proud of what Michael has accomplished, and it is evident in the number of adult volunteers lining up to get soaked in a makeshift dunk tank of Michael's own design.

Frank Palughi said they have some plans for the carnival as long as Michael wants to keep doing it.

"Maybe it will be a block party some day," Frank Palughi said.

As for Michael, he is not sure what is next for him.

"Right now I have no idea," Michael Palughi said. "I'm just really into this."

Hoots and hollers could be heard as ball throwers hitting the bull's-eye systematically soaked adults at the carnival. Frank Palughi interrupted the traditional carnival music to announce that in five minutes, the watermelon-eating contest would begin - "pits included." Minutes later, it was over. An older boy with a shaved head raised his fists in victory, and adults and children were laughing.