A performer with the Stone Age Show, Martin Alvarez, lets guests pet a dinosaur Wednesday during the annual Quiet Carnival event at the Cole Chevy Mountain Festival.

princeton – Special people enjoyed carnival rides, festival foods, dinosaurs, acrobatics and even a taste of baseball stardom Wednesday in a quiet setting created especially for them.

The Quiet Carnival has become an annual feature at the Cole Chevy Mountain Festival in Bluefield. Participants who could be bothered by the noise and flashing lights of a regular carnival are given a daytime experience without those distractions.

“We’re going to have quite a few little activities there year,” Jeff Disibbio, CEO and president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias, said. “I had a lot of people reaching out to me every year to make sure we’re still doing it, so we know the word is getting out and it’s effective because people really appreciate it. We get a lot of compliments and it’s really heartwarming to hear the stories of people who get to benefit from this because they don’t get to benefit from it typically.”

Besides a carnival, the participants had the opportunity to meet local baseball players.

“We actually have the Ridge Runner team here today,” Disibbio said. “They’re going to be signing alongside our ABO Baby Birds team, so we’ve got two big-time teams in here signing autographs being given out to anybody who comes to the Quiet Carnival and they may hang out a little while after to see what else they can do.”

After meeting the baseball players, the Quiet Carnival’s participants could see the Stone Age Show with its dinosaurs and the Streamers Thrill Show’s acrobats.

“We’ve asked for several of our shows to be able to come in and set up, and they were more than happy and willing to do an extra show for us, for the Quiet Carnival specifically,” Disibbio said. “Unfortunately, not all of them are quiet enough to be able to host.”

The participants were also able to enjoy the James H. Drew Carnival’s rides for free, he said.

The Bluefield Ridge Runners came out to support the community and were joined by the Bluefield Rail Birds ABO team for an autograph signing session.

ABO stand for Alternative Baseball Organization, said Scott Smith, the team’s general manager.

“What Bluefield Rail Birds ABO is is a league for special needs individuals,” he said. “We say special abilities, we don’t say needs, but most recognize it as special needs. It’s for anyone age 15 or older and it encompasses everything from autism, ADHD, PTSD, Down’s Syndrome, developmental delays, anything along those lines, and we provide the opportunity to play baseball.”

The new baseball organization started last year with one team and 15 players, Smith said.

“This year we have two teams with 23 players. We also travel to Beckley. Beckley has an ABO team up there, but most of our games are played at Bowen Field here and Hunnicutt Stadium in Princeton,” he said. “It’s full, true baseball. Players pitch, players hit, players field, players run. It’s traditional baseball. Wood bat. We do use a special ball, but outside that, baseball rules. Three strikes you’re out, four balls you walk.”

Disibbio thanked First Community Bank, Alorica, MEFCOR Outdoors, Southern Highlands, the City of Bluefield, the Town of Bluefield, Va. the chamber of commerce and Jimmy Drew of the James H. Drew Carnival for sponsoring the Quiet Carnival.