Florida State Fairgrounds has gone through many changes over the years. While the Florida State Fair has been a part of the City of Tampa’s rich entertainment history since 1904, it wasn’t until 1975 that the state legislature declared Tampa’s fair as the “official” Florida State Fair and with this declaration came the decision to establish its own site. This location would be used throughout the year for other community events and expos. In February 1977, over 40 years ago, the first Fair was held at its current location just off the junction of U.S. Highway 301 and Interstate 4.
The Florida State Fairgrounds are comprised of 330 acres of land as well as barns, buildings and the Mildred W. and Doyle E. Carlton Jr. Cracker Country living history museum. But it is most known for the nearly half a million people who come every year for its 12 days of Midway rides, livestock, horticultural, agricultural and crafts shows, concerts, contests and that most-talked-about feature of them all: fair food! (Next year’s fair dates are February 6-17, 2020, by the way. Mark it down!)