This was some years ago, but I believe the movie opened with a carnival that was closed for the winter: It may have been raining. There was a fortune telling machine at the front which came to life as the person in the movie approached.
Does anyone remember such a scenario?
J Tempest

Maybe Big (1988) - IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094737/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) ?