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Florida State Fair 2025: What visitors can find at the fairgrounds this year

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Published  February 5, 2025 10:50pm EST
Tampa
FOX 13 News

'Powering on' the State Fair

Jordan Bowen reports.

The Brief

    • The Florida State Fair's lights are on, kicking off the big event at the fairgrounds in Tampa.
    • There are some new things for guests this year, including the Florida State Fair smartphone app.
    • There's also a fair amount of food to try, rides and entertainment.

TAMPA, Fla. - The Florida State Fair is officially open for business. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson helped flip the switch, officially turning on the lights and kicking off this year's fair. 

And, there are new things in store for those attending the fair. 

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What's New:

For the first time this year, everything you need to know about the Florida State Fair will be available at your fingertips through the Florida State Fair smartphone app.

"We encourage you to download ahead of time so that way you can plan your day before you even arrive," Florida State Fair CEO Cheryl Flood said.

This year, there is plenty to plan, from food to rides to entertainment. For some food vendors, it's a first for their business.

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"Strawberry lemonade is such a trademark item at the fair, so we thought why not put it into a donut?," Fluffy's Hand Cut Donuts Manager Whitney Fraleigh said.

Strawberry lemonade donuts are one of the many unique food items making their debut at this year's fair.

"It's a hand-cut yeast raised donut, which means we do everything by hand at Fluffy's," Fraleigh said. "We top it with our lemon butter cream roller and crushed strawberry lemonade topping, and we top it with lemon candy, a freeze-dried strawberry, and then a pipe out of strawberry lemonade so you can inject it right in the donut."

Also new this year, a different take on the traditional fried egg roll.

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"It was all by mistake. My husband and I used to sell corned beef sandwiches in Arizona, but because of COVID we moved to Mississippi, and so we had to change our menu to the demographics of the area, so the soul food egg roll was born," Egg Roll Love Owner Lisa Padilla said.

The soul food egg roll is a mixture of collard greens, mac and cheese and yams all rolled up and fried in an egg roll.

Along with the food, there will be interactive animal and agricultural exhibits as well as dozens of rides and live music including, The Taylor Swift tribute band Blank Space.

What they're saying:

"We have a lot of pride in being in this community and Tampa loves us so we want to make sure we give back to this community, and we bring hundreds of thousands of people to make sure that they enjoy this celebration," Flood said.

What's next:

Gates officially open on Thursday.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered through interviews with organizers and vendors at the Florida State Fair. 

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