Ten United States commemorative stamps picturing dynamic photos of carnival scenes at night will be issued June 6 in Biloxi, Miss.
Prominent in the pictures on the new nondenominated (68¢) Carnival Nights forever stamps are various carnival rides, some of which rotate at high speeds to give riders a thrill.
According to the Postal Service, “The stomach-twisting thrill rides, the indulgent snacks and sweets and the general spirit of lighthearted fun make the nation’s carnivals and fairs a place for visitors of any age to enjoy.”
The first-day ceremony for the Carnival Nights stamps is scheduled for 6 p.m. Central Daylight Time at the South Mississippi Summer Fair, which will take place at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center, 2350 Beach Blvd., in Biloxi.
Ceremony attendees who register themselves and their guests with the Postal Service will receive free admission to the fair and free rides on the fair’s Giant Wheel.
“There will also be stamp sales, cancellations, and an autograph session with ceremony participants,” the Postal Service said.
Each attendee may invite up to 98 additional guests, according to the USPS.
The USPS provided additional details about the first-day ceremony in a May 7 media advisory.
June Martindale, manager of the Postal Service’s Alabama-Mississippi District, will serve as the dedicating official.
Joining Martindale on the stage will be Lynda Franc, corporate marketing director of North American Midway Entertainment; Matt McDonnell, executive director of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center; and Greg Chiecko, president and CEO of the Outdoor Amusement Business Association.
The USPS announced that it “will brand a North American Midway Entertainment Ferris wheel with a Carnival Nights stamps banner” at the South Mississippi Summer Fair.
The Postal Service said that the Carnival Nights branded wheel is scheduled to travel to four fairs during the summer: Marion County Fair, Indianapolis, Ind., June 28-July 7; Northern Wisconsin State Fair, Chippewa Falls, Wis., July 10-14; Indiana State Fair, Aug. 2-18; and Du Quoin State Fair, Du Quoin, Ill., Aug. 23-Sept. 2.
As shown nearby, the Carnival Nights stamps were printed in panes of 20 containing two of each design. “CARNIVAL NIGHTS” is lettered across the wide top selvage (margin paper). “CARNIVAL” is in a shade of orange, and “NIGHTS” is in a dark shade of blue.
According to production details published in the May 2 issue of the Postal Bulletin, Banknote Corporation of America printed a total of 18 million Carnival Nights stamps in 900,000 panes of 20 using its Alprinta 74 press.
The Postal Service is also offering die cut and imperforate uncut press sheets of nine panes of 20. Both types will sell for $122.40, the face value of the 180 stamps.
A plate number consisting of the letter B followed by four single digits appears in the bottom two corners of the pane. The B represents Banknote Corporation of America, and each digit stands for one of the four process colors used to print the stamps: cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
U.S. Postal Service art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps using existing photos.
According to the USPS, the pictures “convey the energy and color of a summer carnival at night.”
“A panoply of rides, an amusement booth, and fireworks are shown in vibrant neon hues against the black, night sky,” the Postal Service said.
In response to a query from Linn’s Stamp News, the Postal Service clarified that the stamps do not honor specific amusement parks and their locations.
“The Carnival Nights stamps are meant to evoke a feeling,” the Postal Service said. “We are celebrating the magic of nighttime on the midway everywhere.”
