With nowhere to go, carnival food stand opens in hometown

May 8, 2020

Hungry for a funnel cake or a corn dog? You don’t have to hope that carnivals and festivals are able to open later this summer.

With no scheduled dates in sight, a traveling food vendor has set up her stand in her hometown of Hartford.

“Who knows what’s going to happen in two weeks? We don’t know what’s going to happen in two days,” said Rose Zeig, owner of The Midway Cafe. “It’s something to do, to make you feel a little better. … I just think we needed to do something for our sanity.”

The stand is open from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The corn dogs are hand-dipped and come in small and jumbo sizes. The funnel cakes come plain or with strawberry, chocolate or caramel toppings. The menu also includes hamburgers, hot dogs, chili dogs, nachos and fresh-squeezed lemonade.

The trailer is set up on Western Avenue, which is the direct exit off Interstate 90 into Hartford, between First and Second streets. There are four picnic tables for customers, and lots of people have been tailgating, Zeig said.

She and her sons, Zach and Matt, usually travel with Merriams Midway Shows in the summer in a five-state area and also do local festivals. Matt, who just finished his freshman year at USD, is helping in Hartford.

The Midway Cafe is her only income, Zeig said.

“We put as many hours in four months as someone does all year,” she said. “It’s definitely a tough life, but it’s unbelievably rewarding.”

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With nowhere to go, carnival food stand opens in hometown

Hungry for a funnel cake or a corn dog? You don’t have to hope that carnivals and festivals are able to open later this summer.

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