One of Florida’s biggest fairs of the year is back in West Palm Beach for its 111th year with a dinosaur theme and a new safety policy for minors
The annual South Florida fair is a special part of many Floridian’s lives, drawing in hundreds of thousands of attendees each year since 1912. More recently, the fair has attracted more than 500,000 attendees from both within the state and other parts of the world, contributing not only to the county’s tourism rates, but also its educational and cultural interests. Each year children and adults have the opportunity to learn more about agriculture and farm life at the fair’s petting zoo and livestock exhibits. Fairgoers can learn about processing dairy, what is produced in rural Florida, and more ways that agriculture contributes to the county’s economy.
Yesteryear Village also allows attendees to dive deeper into Florida’s history. The 10 acre exhibit showcases a large collection of replicated buildings that date all the way back to 1850, including a post office, an old school, a blacksmith shop, and other structures of historical importance. The Village also features the only big band museum in the country, the Sally Bennett Big Band Hall of Fame Museum, and is an interesting and educational option for both children and adults visiting the fair this year.
The fair’s ‘Dino-Myte’ dinosaur theme features various interactive exhibits, a mobile museum learning experience, an excavation zone, and a live Jurassic Kingdom show that brings the audience back to prehistoric times. Not only are there life-size dinosaurs and fossils, there are also paleontologists walking the grounds to answer your questions about the past.
This year’s daily parades feature custom floats similar to those typically seen in New Orleans Mardi Gras, where fairgoers will catch beads and enjoy the music Monday-Friday: 6:30 PM
Saturdays & Sundays: 1:00 PM. If you happen to miss the parade, you can catch a world-class performance on one of the five stages for music and entertainment where various artists will compete in the 2023 Rock Tribute Band Competition. There are over 200 attractions, rides, and games to keep you and your friends or family busy.
The official website provides an online schedule detailing the daily parades and entertainment so you can plan which of the 17 days would be best for you. They also created a guide with tips on how to make sure you have a safe and enjoyable experience at the South Florida FairGrounds, including a new ‘Minors’ Policy’ that restricts younger groups from entering the fair after 8pm.
According to an article by Kristina Webb in the Palm Beach Daily News, an incident last year prompted the fair’s board to create the new policy. Unaccompanied groups of children had run through crowds of families, knocking over some drapery and causing chaos. Now all children ages 6 to 17 need to be accompanied by an adult when entering the fairgrounds after 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays – which is thirty minutes earlier than the previous rule. The adult will need proof of age, and in addition to paying for admission, guests ages 6 to 17 will need to buy a ride wristband before entering the fair, which will hopefully reduce the number of big groups.
Fair CEO and President Vicki Chouris told Webb that younger fairgoers are encouraged to arrive earlier in the day, and purchase their tickets and wristband ahead of time to save money. When purchased in advance, general admission tickets are $15 for weekdays and $20 for weekends; wristbands are $30 at the gate Monday-Friday; and $45 at the gate Saturday and Sunday.
The South Florida Fair is a great opportunity for students to learn more about the state and a part of its entertainment history. From rides, to shows, to exhibits, fun foods and more there is plenty to do with friends and family. Weekdays are typically less busy, but if you can only make it on the weekend, it is definitely worth the trip.
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