I’ve lived in the Sunshine State for nearly 20 years, but never took the time to visit the Florida State Fair until 2016.
After attending IAAPA for so many years, it was nice to see some of the flat rides in their natural habitat, like Surf’s Up from Zamperla.
Even the bounce houses that I have seen over the years at IAAPA were scattered all over the fairgrounds.
Most surprising were attractions that seem to withstand the test of time.
Not only were these rides reminiscent of my childhood fair-going days, I believe they are the exact same ones.
Some fun houses had clearly been updated and were truly elaborate compared to the musty creaking boards I remember from my younger days.
Some games seem to be also frozen in time.
Say what you want about the aged wizard wire game, but these exact fixtures have clearly been around for decades.
The classics never seem to go away, like I Got It, a simple ball connection game.
At fifty cents per game, it’s probably the most affordable carnival game you’ll find anywhere.
And yes, we won!
With age, rides like Himalaya don’t sound as appealing as they did when you were a teenager, but it’s nice to see they are still around and kicking ass.
Then there were these clown-mouth trash cans scattered everywhere that will give me nightmares for weeks. Speaking of heart palpitations….
The fair has never been about salads, kale and wheat grass, but now it seems to be the traveling poster child for diabetes.
Everywhere you looked there was some sort of food vendor looking to clog your arteries with something more outrageous than the stall next to them.
The healthiest snack I could find was this deep fried doughnut topped with strawberries. As a reporter, I had to dive in. Yes, it was delicious.
Even the Ferris Wheel was themed to macaroni and cheese. I did not confirm if the ticket included a spa like experience in the cheesy goodness.
Truth be told, we had a great time at the Florida State Fair and will return next year. Hard to believe the carnival and sideshows are still alive and well!
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