Although sideshows are no longer a part of the State Fair of Texas, they still have a place in the cultural landscape, said Chris Christ of Christ and Hall Inc., a sideshow promotion company that brought performers to Texas' fair from 1971 to 1987. Mr. Christ estimates there are 36 sideshow companies in existence. Most are individuals who perform alone at carnivals, fairs and concerts. There are only two companies, including his own, with large sideshow performances, Mr. Christ said. Much of it is driven by economics.
Fairs can get more money out of space with amusement devices like mechanical rides.
In the fair, it's gone from entertainment to amusement. Mr. Christ, who has been in the carnival business for more than 35 years, said his show has changed with the times. He used to bring armless and legless jugglers, midget acrobats and spider women to the fairs. Today, his presentations focus less on live performances and more on museum exhibits. Advances in medicine, which have mitigated or eliminated many of the genetic defects that can cause human deformities, have contributed to the decline of the sideshow.