By BRANDON WORF

bworf@dailynews.net

If you bring it, they will come.

There wasn't any doubt about that Wednesday night.

The Heart of America Carnival arrived in Hays late Tuesday afternoon and opened up its games, rides and specialty food stands in time for the public to flood the area. And many didn't have a hard time finding it.

"The boys are having a really good time," said Scott Roe, a video manager at Nex-Tech. His wife, Theresa, rode with their son, Charlie, on the carousel, while Scott watched with his other son, Jimmy, from the sidelines.

"It's a bit on the expensive side, but we like it," Roe said.

Tanya Beauchamp, a nurse at the Surgical Joint Care Center, agreed.

"It's a good carnival," Beauchamp said. "The kids are really having fun, and I'm not having to chase them all over the carnival grounds."

Jerry Haley was having a few more difficulties, though none so serious as keeping track of who was where.

"I'm herding girls right now," Haley said. "My wife had to teach fitness classes at (Center for Health Improvement) tonight, so I'm going this alone. I have my daughter and three of her friends."

While the effort was taxing, he said it wasn't too labor intensive for what he had to do.

"We've done about every single ride here four times already, and I'm pulling the plug at 10," he said. "Then we'll get our funnel cakes, and I'll throw them into bed."

As a founding member of the Wild West Festival itself, Haley was impressed with the turnout.

"I helped start this, and this is great so far," he said. "I ran the fireworks display for eight years before leaving the committee a few years back. They've done well since then."

Haley spoke highly of the event and its benefits to the community of Hays.

"It's great because it allows all these volunteers from all walks of life, all sizes, shapes, backgrounds, to get out and allow others to enjoy their community," he said.

While hundreds came out for the carnival Wednesday night, many more are planning to partake in the rest of the weekend's festivities.

"We're going to go check out Night Ranger (tonight)," Roe said. "After that, it's up in the air, but definitely stuff for that night, and the fireworks of course."

Beauchamp agreed, but with more ambition.

"Oh, we're going to all the concerts, of course," she said. "And the fireworks. I figure for what you get for $10, we might as well."