Carny (or carney)

[Luna Azul]

A carnival in the US - yes; a travelling fairground in the UK!

Please, Sancho, explain that to me. Carnivals are different in Europe and in the US. Not the "carnivals" themselves but the way they're called. That's what I'm saying. I know both senses.

I think I'm right;)

[poli]

There's carnival and there's Carnival. One is a religious-based holiday celebrated on the Tuesday before Lent. In the U.S.A. we call it Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday. As you know a carnival in the U.S.
is a kind of traveling amusment park that has no religious significance unless it's sponsored by a church.

[Sancho Panther]

I'm sorry, I can only repeat what I've put in my two previous posts - they are exact definitions of the terms carnival and fairground, as used in Great Britain. Different meanings seem to apply in the US.

Carnival is a festival arranged by the local authority, travelling fairgrounds move from town to town with dodgems, carousels, switchbacks and sideshows etc., setting up on derelict land for a week or so.

[wrholt]

I'm sorry, I can only repeat what I've put in my two previous posts - they are exact definitions of the terms carnival and fairground, as used in Great Britain. Different meanings seem to apply in the US.

Carnival is a festival arranged by the local authority, travelling fairgrounds move from town to town with dodgems, carousels, switchbacks and sideshows etc., setting up on derelict land for a week or so.

I can confirm that US usage is different: we use the word carnival for both of these meanings. For any public event (either a locally sponsored festival or a travelling carnival or small circus) the event organizer has to apply for all relevent permits and licenses from the local authority and the event is subject to a variety of inspections at any time. Setting up on derilict or vacant land, or on privately owned land, still requires permits and licenses.

Here, a fairground is a type of purpose-built public venue used for a variety of mostly-outdoor exhibitions or events; the classic type of event in such a venue is an annual county fair or state fair. In farming regions the county fair happens during harvest season and is part amateur rodeo, livestock show, produce and cooking contests, and other contests of skill. At other times of the year the fairgrounds may be the site of other exhibitions or events.

[Sancho Panther]

Belatedly, I should add that a static, permanent fairground is usually referred to in the UK as an 'amusement park', or nowadays more frequently a 'theme park'. Although the theme is often somewhat tenuous!

It only took four days to think of that - I'm getting old!