We could blame the foodie movement’s loving embrace of deep-fried Oreos, butter, and cola, or maybe it’s social media’s push to embrace all things nostalgic and formerly cheesy (ugly Christmas sweaters, anyone?), but it does seem as if the ol’ county fair is in a renaissance period of late. See the change afoot as the South Florida Fair returns Friday to — where else? — the South Florida Fairgrounds. This year, the SFF is offering LED robot laser shows, Las Vegas on Ice ice-skating shows, Bengal tiger encounters, beer gardens (blame/thank the foodies), period reenactment gunfights, Solid Waste Authority “trashion” shows, Dale K funny hypnosis, an Elvis competition, and much, much more. Of course, with a history dating back to 1912, some fair staples like Yesteryear Village, horse demos, 4-H displays, and classic stomach-churning rides and fair food are staying put for 2015.
The South Florida Fairgrounds are located at 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. The fair runs from Friday through February 1. It opens at noon Monday through Friday and at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sunday, and on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Visit southfloridafair.com, or call 561-793-0333. Admission is $15 at the gate for adults and $8 for children ages 5 to 11.
Fri., Jan. 16, 2015