By DAVID ADAM
Herald-Whig Staff Writer

After four days of preparing the grounds for the annual Knights of Columbus barbecue, Bruce Hollensteiner was ready to spend Thursday night enjoying the festivities and watching the smiles on kids' faces.

Instead, he spent most of the night watching tears roll down those same faces.

The barbecue was to have been extended to a fourth day this year and was slated to open on a Thursday for the first time. However, organizers were forced to cancel Thursday's activities after learning Miller Spectacular Shows, a carnival operator from Greenbrier, Ark., had not turned in Thursday's date to the Illinois Department of Labor's Carnival and Amusement Ride Inspection Division.

An attempt was made to have a state inspector drive from Springfield to Quincy on Thursday, but Hollensteiner said a family emergency forced the inspector to turn around in Jacksonville and head home.

Hollensteiner said carnival operators "dropped this in our lap" at 3 p.m., three hours before the carnival was to have opened. Chairmen were on the grounds until about 8 p.m. explaining the situation.

"Put it this way -- we had kids crying all over the place," said Hollensteiner, who is serving as a chairman for the eighth year. "I had two of my own boys out there, and they were looking forward to it all week.

"It's just heartbreaking. People took off on vacation to get everything done, and all we were going to do (Thursday) was watch the people fill up. We would have filled the driving range parking lot, and we would have had a heckuva crowd. Instead, we were scrambling around."

Sue Miller, secretary for the family-owned carnival business, said she was the person to blame for the oversight.

"I read the contract wrong and put the wrong date on our inspection request to the state," she said. "I had several dates to fill out for several carnivals, and I just misread it. There was no one else involved except me, so I have to take full responsibility for this one.

"We've been in business for 47 years, and this is not a common thing. But we just can't open a ride unless it has been inspected, because it's a safety issue."

Anjali Julka, a spokesman for the Department of Labor, confirmed Miller's explanation and said an inspector is scheduled to come to Quincy today. She said the mistake was a "technical error, but they're cooperating with us now."

A special $15 armband had been sold at local County Market grocery stores that would have allowed children unlimited rides on all of the carnival attractions. Hollensteiner said those armbands will be honored tonight. People who want a refund should be at the ticket booth on the K of C grounds at 5 o'clock tonight. Refunds will not be given at County Market.

Hollensteiner wants to dispel rumors that the carnival did not open because it failed to pass inspection. The barbecue is working with Miller Spectacular Rides for the first time this year.

"That is not the case at all," he said.

At least the weather forecast for the weekend is good. Rain was thought to be possible in earlier forecasts, but now, nothing but sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s are expected.

"We'll recover as long as the rain stays away," Hollensteiner said.

-- dadam@whig.com/221-3376