By Christopher Oakes
Staff Writer

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here will be a new attraction in Nags Head this summer, thanks to Darnell Tillett, owner of the Full Throttle Speedway in Nags Head. A ferris wheel complete with a tilt-a-whirl and child-sized go-carts will open Memorial Day weekend.

“I am trying to make this (park) good for families to come to,” Tillett said.

The additions will also include three or four carnival games, a concession stand and other kiddie rides.

 The new rides are set to open Memorial Day weekend (possibly a week earlier) and run through Labor Day, Tillett said. The park will be be open from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. nightly. Normally, this would violate the lighting ordinance in Nags Head, but the park has been granted an exemption for 2012.

The  temporary carnival that had a couple of similar rides in Nags Head two summers ago was very successful. This carnival won’t be returning, so these new rides are in some sense filling that void.

“The carnival that the town celebrated its 50th birthday was such a rousing success with  locals and visitors we wanted to open the town to the ability to have that ferris wheel experience all summer long,”  Nags Head Mayor Bob Oakes said.“It will be a great addition to the activities here.”

There are plans to bring in more rides for older kids and expand the park in the a couple of years, if the park is successful, according to an interview Tillett had with the Outer Banks Voice.

Said junior Joey Staten, “It will be great for kids down here to have something to do other than just hanging at night.”

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