This weekend we took Bailey for her first trip to the fair, thanks to Kurt's office for sponsoring the day at the fair. It was a beautiful day so we were not alone in the decision. When we first walked in I was ready to leave within the 1st 5 minutes. It was complete sensory overload with people, games, fried food and signs everywhere. I am grateful that Kurt used to go to the fair as a kid and knows me very well so he jumped into action and helped us get to the animals which he knew I would love. In the end I had a great time. If you are thinking about going I wanted to share what I wish I had done to ensure we maximized our time.
Parking - Parking is free which is a good perk, but the traffic backup added an extra hour or so. There is preferred parking for $10 during the week and $20 on the weekends. We have found from going to concerts that the best place to park is off Process road. Take 441, just north of Southern and head East on Process Road. You can avoid the a majority of the traffic off Southern.
Food - The fair is known for food. I would recommend eating before you go. There are tons of food options and some tables, but I was happy we had lunch before we went. We still bought "fair food", but it made me feel less guilty to know that Bailey had just had some veggies before her cotton candy and fried oreo.
Check the Daily Schedule - Click here to view the daily schedule. There are bands, shows, and entertainers that are all included in the price of your admission. While we did not plan around the daily schedule we did get lucky and were able to catch a couple of the shows and I would recommend both of them. On the website for the fair there is an add to itinerary button to help you plan your visit.
- Agri-Cadabra Magic Show - Take agriculture, education and magic, put them together, and you get Agri-cadabra, a high-energy, interactive show that's a hit with kids, as he teaches about Palm Beach County agriculture through magic tricks.
- Kachunga Alligator Show - “Kachunga & The Alligator Show” is an action packed, family oriented show, featuring the American Alligator. The two co-hosts have amazing chemistry and did a job of not only educating the crowd about Alligators, but also entertaining everyone.
In addition to planning your schedule around the shows I would also make time to walk through the Kubota Agriplex to see all the animals. There are multiple tents that have everything from a petting zoo to milking cows. Bailey enjoyed hearing the cows moos. Sometimes it is the simple moments that are the best.
Yesteryear Village was one of my favorite parts. It is a permanent display on the fair grounds. It is a history park nestled on 10 acres, showcasing buildings and artifacts from 1895 to 1945. It is like stepping back in time. Bailey is a fire truck lover so the old fire station was our favorite stop. Don't miss the printing press area either. It was a great opportunity to explain life before computers. Crazy to think that our kids will have a hard time imaging that there was life before computers. It is a great place to do if you have toddlers because there is lots of open places where they can run.
Games and Rides Bailey is an adventurous kid. As we drove in she saw the rides that took you upside down and she was already asking if she could go on them. Personally rides at the fair make me a little nervous. The idea of going upside down on a ride that yesterday was on the back of a truck does not appeal to me. In addition the lines to purchase tickets were very long. They also require that parents who are riding with their kids purchase tickets as well making some of the kid rides $10/ride. The kids on the rides looked like they were having a blast, but I was happy that we skipped this area.
Have you been to the fair yet? Any other tips.
Leave a Reply