For the owners of Scott Amusements, the list of accomplishments ranges from purchasing an award-winning carnival six years ago, to traveling the state together to support county fairs and festivals, and even adding additional units to the family business.

Last December when Rob Scott, of Pilot Mound, heard his family name called as winner of the Showman of the Year award from the Association of Iowa Fairs, he couldn’t believe it. Together, his family had accomplished yet another dream.

“We are incredibly honored to win this award in only our sixth year as carnival owners,” said Scott, who co-owns Scott Amusements with his brother, Russ Scott, and his son, Bryce Scott.

“When we started, our goals were to grow our own business and to help our fairs and festivals grow as well,” he added. ” We have all served on community committees and boards. My wife, Lorna, and our family have been heavily involved in the 4-H program. We have a strong commitment to mutual benefit and we try to attend as many fundraisers and events for our communities as we can. We have been incredibly fortunate to be able to be involved in so many towns and counties that we have had personal connections to in the past, and to make new connections.”

The Showman of the Year award isn’t just for carnivals. Any specialty act that plays fairs in Iowa is eligible to be nominated and win, including singers, magicians, dog shows, pig races, and more.

Scott Amusements is a family affair with Rob, Russ, and Bryce Scott owning the business. Lorna Scott serves as the business’ office manager, and Rob and Lorna Scott’s children have all worked multiple events and fairs.

The Scott family travels the state from Mother’s Day until typically around Halloween setting up at favorite events and fairs including the Dayton Rodeo, Pufferbilly Days in Boone, and even the Webster County Fair.

“Working with Rob and Bryce is awesome,” said Webster County Fair Manager Heather Stewart. “They are alway available when the carnival is on the grounds. They make it easy to have a carnival, and they bring rides for all ages. Their employees are always polite and can make some of the best funnel cakes and fried twinkies. When the fair is done, they also clean up. You can’t even tell there was a carnival set up. You can tell they take a lot of pride in what they do and really want to see fairs succeed. We are lucky to be able to work with a great family-owned carnival.”

Scott Amusements is booked for the upcoming 2025 Webster County Fair in July and will begin its summer season in just a few months.