The Fairgrounds

"I find a Burger Tank in this place? I'm a be a one-man cheeseburger apocalypse!"

- Coach

"Holy shit guys! Kiddie Land!"

- Ellis

The Fairgrounds is the second chapter in Left 4 Dead 2 ' s, Dark Carnival campaign. It was first revealed at the Penny Arcade Expo and again in Tokyo Game Show '09. The chapter contains a Gauntlet Crescendo that requires the Survivors to open a gate by switching on a power box, which also activates a nearby carousel that attracts hordes of Infected until it is shut down. The safe room at the end of the level is in the Tunnel Of Love.

Campaign
When starting from this chapter, the AI Survivors will usually grab...


 * Nick will grab a Submachine Gun.
 * Ellis will grab a Submachine Gun.
 * Rochelle will grab a Submachine Gun.
 * Coach will grab a Pump Shotgun or a Chrome Shotgun, depending on what is available in that saferoom.

Otherwise, they will keep the weapons they had in the last chapter (see The Highway for a list of weapons they will grab there).

When you open the door, head toward the park entrance. The guard house to the right is a regular spawn point for pistols, pills, melee weapons, and sometimes special ammuniton. Beyond the ticket offices to the left are restrooms and a refreshment building, both of which may contain more helpful items. After checking them continue on, passing kiosks and game pavillions until you come across the brightly-lit, interactive shooting gallery.

Here the player can acquire Gnome Chompski to get the 'Guardin' Gnome' achievement. On the counter there are often several adrenaline shots, and on the picnic tables near the gallery is an ammo stack. Both will be helpful in the upcoming game. Press the button to start the gallery and have all players open fire. After the players accumulate 750 points, the prize box will open. Gnome Chompski is a static object that only does minor knock-back damage and blocks about a third of the carrier's field of vision. Fortunately he cannot be destroyed, although he can be irretrievably dropped or launched away when Special Infected attack. Set him down in a safe place when music cues signal hordes and tanks, and alert other players when he's unattended, if possible.
 * Shoot burglars with bags of peanuts for points.
 * Shoot two burglars of the same color for a bonus.
 * Shoot Moustachio for even more points.
 * Don't shoot Lil' Peanut.

Once finished with the shooting gallery, pass the food tents and use the back entrance to the storage warehouse to get inside. Look on the tables in the second room for some more Tier 2 weapons. This area is a spawn place for both the witch and tank, so stay alert. Back outside, beneath a canopy is a table with additional guns, as well as combustible items such as Gas Cans. These are useful to throw down the hill and ignite in the event of a horde. Down the ramp is the entrance to Kiddy Land, which is generally full of common infected and is the favorite hangout for a Witch. Navigate through the rides towards the far left corner of the park, raiding the snack shack for items before using the alley near the payphone to get around back.

This alley provides several opportunities for helpful spawning, so be sure to investigate the truck and buildings for goods. At the end of the way is a room with an ammo stack, weapons, and a first aid box. Up the stairs is a ladder to the roof, where more Tier 2 weapons and pills can be found in a nearby storage area. Traverse the roof until you arrive at the top of the big slide.

(Although you can ride down the slide, it's advisable that players holding Gnome Chompski simply use the stairs to get down due to observed glitches which result in Chompski falling out of reach or, more rarely, the player dying.)

Head up the stairs near the restrooms, and look in the room to the left before moving on. Inside should be a first aid station, ammo, and weapons. Use the balcony to snipe any infected loitering near the carousel, then jump down and locate the power breaker. Starting the ride initiates this chapter's Crescendo Event, so crowd at the gate and wait for it to open enough to slip through. Run through the walkway and make your way out, mowing down and dodging as many infected as possible. Keep going until you reach the ride's controls, which are housed in a standing area further down past the picnic tables. Once the ride is off, finish off any remaining Infected and check the tables. When all is said and done, head towards the Tunnel of Love. Jump over the cue lines and into the safe room.

Be forewarned, it's fairly common that a Witch will spawn in the narrow entrance to the Tunnel of Love safe house. If this occurs, it may be more worthwhile to let a Bot AI "take one for the team" than to open fire on the Witch or attempt sneaking past her. A human player merely needs get within the vicinity of the Tunnel entrance, after which a Bot will attempt to enter the safe room, heedless of the Witch's warning growls until she has been startled.