Tiger Act Canceled After Whitehouse Residents Decide Carnival Rides Already Dangerous Enough
A tiger in a cage beside a carnival ride and a sign listing ride dangers at the Whitehouse Cherry Festival.
WHITEHOUSE, Ohio — Organizers of the Whitehouse Cherry Festival canceled a scheduled Royal Bengal tiger show Thursday after residents argued the festival already provides enough adrenaline through carnival rides assembled earlier that week.
More than 400 people signed a petition opposing the tiger attraction, citing concerns about the treatment of animals in traveling shows and questioning whether Cherry Fest truly needed another activity capable of making parents nervous.
“We already willingly strap our children into machines that arrived on a trailer Tuesday,” said Whitehouse resident Brian Fowler. “I feel like we’re covered.”
Festival officials had hoped the tiger show would add excitement to a weekend featuring live music, a parade, food vendors and carnival rides that parents routinely inspect by staring at them for several seconds before saying, “Eh, it’s probably fine.”
Residents noted that Cherry Fest already offers numerous opportunities to test one’s courage, including spinning rapidly after eating funnel cake and allowing a teenager to operate something called the “Super Cyclone.”
“The tigers just felt unnecessary,” said Kelli Conway. “My kid is currently 40 feet in the air inside a metal cage held together by a lap bar. I’m stimulated enough.”
Organizers stressed that the carnival rides are inspected and regulated, despite their longstanding ability to make every father quietly examine a bolt while waiting in line.
The festival will continue without the tiger show.
Officials are reportedly confident attendees can still experience plenty of excitement by eating fried Oreos and listening carefully for unfamiliar mechanical noises.
Original reporting: Tiger show at Whitehouse Cherry Fest canceled after public opposition — 13 Action News