Ferris wheels at the Florida State Fair. Photo courtesy of Tom Hagerty, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, via Flickr.
Marking a milestone in America’s history, the Florida State Fair commemorated the nation’s 250th anniversary on opening day. The event spotlighted centuries of tradition while highlighting the future of entertainment, uniting Floridians in a shared celebration of heritage and growth.
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By Izzy Alexander
TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida State Fair opened its 2026 celebration on Feb. 5 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Opening day showcased centuries of tradition, fostering a multigenerational environment that honored the past 250 years of America while revealing the future of entertainment.
With unicyclists playing guitars, 100-year-old Bavarian nut roasting, men on hydro-propelled jet packs, and live music, the fairgrounds blended old and new.
Originally known as the South Florida Fair, the event began in 1904 on the grounds of the Tampa Bay Hotel, now home to the Henry B. Plant Museum and The University of Tampa. The fair was established by hotel manager T.J. Laud-Brown to increase tourism.
It became known as the Florida State Fair in 1915, and remained at the hotel for 70 years before moving to the Florida State Fairgrounds, located nine miles northeast of downtown Tampa.
Minutes after entering the grounds, the smell of fried dough was thick in the air from Fluffy’s hand-cut doughnuts. The stand featured a pink, polka-dotted wrap outlined in blinking, yellow lights. It was reminiscent of a 1970s food stand.
Just down the midway, the Miller and Company barbecue stand filled the air with the smoky scent of chicken, steak, and pineapple. Stand worker Billy Davis explained that the smell barely scratches the surface of the complex production behind fair stands.
Davis said that his team had just arrived from West Palm Beach, Florida, that night. For the past 17 years, the team has broken down the entire stand, packed up, driven to the Florida State Fairgrounds, and set up again — all within 48 hours.
He added that after nearly two decades, they had become very familiar with the fairgrounds team.
“This crew here, the staff on these grounds, are very accommodating,” said Davis. “They say, ‘We got you. Come on in.’ They get you back in, then they move you to the next place. It’s very orchestrated.”
William Weinrich, owner and operator of a balloon-pop fair game stand, said the fair means more to him than most may think.
“I love it. I’ve been coming here since ‘97,” Weinrich said.
Before working at the fair, he was an attendee. He loved it so much that he decided to make it his career, and for more than two decades, he has worked at the fair.
Electric covers of classic hits such as “I Melt With You” by Modern English and “Rock and Roll All Nite” by Kiss could be heard throughout the north side of the grounds. Local band Bynge has been together since 2022, and the Florida State Fair has provided a place for them to share their passion for rock music and grow their audience.
On the other side of the entertainment, Circus Hollywood performed on opening day and will continue to host multiple shows daily through Feb. 16.
A mix of modern and traditional circus acts, including exotic animals, aerial rope dancing, juggling, hula hooping, extreme acrobatics, and motorcycle tricks are just a handful of the unique skills that were featured during the inaugural performance.
Additionally, the fair offered countless events appealing to a wide range of interests.
“My time at the fair was super fun,” said University of Tampa freshman Lauren Forster.
Forster took an interest in the barn filled with handmade products. Creations spanned from homemade beard care and soap to handwoven pine baskets and hand-carved cutting boards.
Opportunities to learn about agriculture and livestock were available in the Cattle Ranching Exhibit, the Learning Garden, and with Little Farm Hands.
Opening day performances from the Mark Dobson One Man Band, Actual Bank Robbers, Something Major, and Rekindled Bits of Grass appealed to music fans of all tastes.
Opening day of the Florida State Fair was much more than just a way to spend the day. It was a large-scale production that allowed thousands of sellers, artisans, and chefs to share their passions with a broader community, all while creating a classic fair experience for visitors across Florida.
The fair will remain open through Feb. 16, 2026.