Bring back the good old days at the Central Florida Fair
Remember the good old days? A bit of extra pocket change earned you a trip to the county fair: the clickity-clack of the carnival rides, the top-hatted barkers at the booths asking you to “step right up”, the sweet smell of caramel corn wafting through the air, an awkward first date’s sweaty palm in yours.
In today’s tech-driven world, so many of these classic childhood experiences have been subsumed by screens and blocked out by ear buds. Honestly, who doesn’t feel a little nostalgia for the simple pleasures of days gone by? Especially in Orlando, where hyper-modern theme parks with long lines and soaring admission fees rule the market.
Here’s something you might not know: Long before the very first Disney World was built, there was the Central Florida Fair. This local institution that has been delighting families of all backgrounds since 1910. Livestock shows entered the picture in the mid-1940s along with miniature trains, midway games, merry-go-rounds, and a glimmering Ferris wheel. Now in its 112th year, the Central Florida Fair remains not only intact but just as amazing as it ever was. Sure to delight even the most plugged-in skeptics, the Fair’s living, breathing nostalgia is a truly special way to spend a spring weekend in Orlando with the whole family.
At the Central Florida Fair, you can forgo the predictable modern theme park for a trip back in time to one of the city’s best-kept secrets: a place where kitschy carnival greatness lives on undeterred and unabashed. Best of all, your experience won’t break the bank! A family of four can enjoy a full day of fun at the fair for just $145—that’s the cost of admission for a single person at many of the other local theme parks.
The Central Florida Fair has changed little over the past century. The wild rides, the Godzilla-sized stuffed animal prizes, the feel of that first chomp into an enormous turkey leg or a juicy corndog as you saunter through the midway—they’re all here, ready to give your kids the very same thrills you once had.
But wait, there’s more! Included in the price of admission are a wide variety of shows and experiences far beyond the typical carnival fodder. Experience firsthand the classic thrills of the infamous Micromania Wrestling, Ricky Rogers BMX, and the down-home hilarity of pig racing—yes, pig racing!—with the Hambone Express.
Don’t wait to buy your tickets! Unlike most Florida theme parks, the Central Florida Fair happens just once a year, and the 2018 Fair only runs from March 1st to March 18th. Whether it’s your first time at the fair or an annual family tradition, you can be sure you’ll never have the same experience twice. No matter how old you are, you’ll become a kid again the second you step through the gates and get a whiff of those corndogs frying.
So come on down to the postcard-perfect Lake Lawne at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, conveniently located just four miles outside of downtown Orlando, and take part in one of our city’s most beloved traditions. Because there’s nothing quite like a day at the fair.
For more information, special promotions and details, visit www.CentralFloridaFair.com.