Four generations of Hausers operate West Coast Amusements’ three travelling units, which travel to different locations with over 300 people to accommodate a wide variety of clientele. The carnival life is in the Hauser family’s blood.
The family generations continue the tradition, all actively involved in the carnival business.
West Coast Amusements actively supports many industry-related organizations. Members of the Hauser family have volunteered their time in Clubs and Associations and serve as director on several Boards. By being involved in the organizations that represent the carnival industry, WCA does its part to keep the amusement industry safe and growing.
Food Banks – WCA partners with numerous Food Banks along their route by offering discounted ride tickets to customers in exchange for food donations Pacific Assistance Dogs Society – WCA is proud to have donated thousands of dollars to this wonderful organization Charities – WCA generously donates to many other charities across North America Chilliwack & Langley Minor Hockey Teams – WCA has sponsored and given donations to support their hometown teams.
WCA is also a member of the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce and helps organizations like Salvation Army and Make a Wish Foundation.
Based in British Columbia, West Coast Amusements is the largest Canadian midway operation in Western Canada and one of the few that remains family-operated.
West Coast Amusements has 125 rides, employs 500 staff at peak season, and has four travelling units. From April to September, these four units coordinate to set up and operate more than 100 fairs and rodeos across Canada and into the Southern U.S.
West Coast Amusements also contracts services and equipment for large gigs such as Vancouver’s Pacific National Exhibition and the Calgary Stampede.
And it is all run from the Hauser family line and started 83 years ago with Bingo.
Irvin R. “Bingo” Hauser was born Oct. 17, 1926, in Warsaw, Poland. Less than a year later, baby Irvin moved to Canada with his parents and family, settling in Brandon, Manitoba. Even as a child, young Irvin was always a hardworking entrepreneur, doing odd jobs, paper route, and selling pots and pans.
At 15 yrs., Irvin (Bingo) and his buddy Sonny Hazelwood left home to seek adventure with the glamorous world of the travelling carnivals, first Crescent Shows, Royal American Shows and Conklin Shows with Patty Conklin. By the time Bingo was 21, he had travelled most of Canada and spent several years doing every job conceivable related to the carnival industry. The theory is Irvin got his nickname “Bingo”, from when customers at the bingo game won they would shout “House”! (So House or Haus became Bingo.)
Bingo traces his passion for carnival life back to the 1930s. At this time, in Manitoba, where he grew up, the Barnum & Bailey Circus would come through his hometown. Bingo would peel potatoes or do whatever other small jobs needed to be done. In 1942, at age 16, Bingo stepped into the business. As his experience with the carnival industry grew, so did his skill and talent in the business. He operated a number of rides and concessions before going out on his own with an animal show.
At first, the show only consisted of a few monkeys and two lion cubs named Simba and Jackie. He began his lion-taming act with Simba. Eventually, Bingo bought a merry-go-round and soon had a growing menagerie of animals, including a bear, an alligator, and an anaconda. Simba became the star of Bingo’s show. Bingo and their fans loved him, and his depiction is now immortalized in the West Coast Amusement logo.
While working a gig in Vancouver, Bingo met a young woman named Jacqueline Christmas, whose parents operated a cotton candy booth at Shrine Circus shows. This would be the beginning; in 1962, Bingo founded West Coast Amusements.
In the 1970s, the midway became a large draw, and Bingo made the difficult decision to place his animals in the Calgary Zoo. Together, Bingo, Jackie, and many members of their extended family built West Coast Amusements into the world-class carnival operation it is today.
West Coast Amusements is located in Chilliwack, BC and continues to grow with pride.
By entering a West Coast Amusements event, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur.
Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with West Coast Amusements including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising.
By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media.
You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.
