Florida Fairs and Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss in 2023
In partnership with: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Outside the farm, there’s no better place to experience Florida agriculture up close than at the fair.
In addition to rides, games, entertainment and delicious treats, Florida fairs and festivals offer the chance to learn more about farming through entertaining and educational exhibits, livestock shows, horticulture competitions and much more. Mark your calendar for these 2023 events showcasing agriculture across the state.
Florida State Fair
Feb. 9-20, Tampa
From funnel cakes and thrill rides to competitions and exhibits spotlighting the state’s thriving agriculture industry, the Florida State Fair in Tampa offers something for every visitor. Drawing over 500,000 attendees annually on average, the 12-day event features a long list of attractions, including more than 90 rides on the largest midway in North America, live entertainment and all the fried foods you can imagine. In addition to a full lineup of youth livestock shows, agricultural offerings include learning experiences and activities for students at the fair’s Ag-Venture, a Florida Learning Garden, and a modern milking parlor in operation. Don’t forget to check out Cracker Country, Tampa’s only living history museum where you can step back in time to 19th-century rural Florida. Creative competitions are another highlight of the fair, with prizes in everything from painting and woodworking to baking, horticulture, photography and more.
See more: Magic on the Midway at the Florida State Fair
Florida Strawberry Festival
March 2-12, Plant City
Nicknamed the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, Plant City is the fitting home of the annual Florida Strawberry Festival. The popular event welcomes thousands of visitors from near and far for 11 days of entertainment, attractions and sweet, locally grown strawberries. Festival highlights include a lineup of livestock shows as well as kiddie and thrill rides on the Belle City Midway, live music, fine art shows, and craft and food vendors. For even more strawberry-themed fun, try your hand at one of the festival’s unique food contests ranging from the strawberry shortcake eating contest to the strawberry stemming contest and deep-fried strawberry pie-on-a-stick relay.
Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition
March 16-April 9, Miami
The Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition, also known as The Youth Fair, is a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting education and South Florida agriculture. The event includes thrilling rides, delicious food, concerts and contests, all while spotlighting and rewarding youth achievement in academics, agriculture, art and athletics. Ranked as one of the top 30 fairs in North America, The Youth Fair showcases the talents of more than 63,000 area students through competitions, livestock shows and thousands of student exhibitions on display. And with entertainment options at the fair ranging from daily parades and circus shows to pig races and animal encounters at the barn and petting zoo, there’s always something new to discover at this one-of-a-kind event.
See more :11 Florida Agritourism Destinations for Every Season
Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair
Nov. 2-12, Jacksonville
The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair has been promoting agriculture, horticulture, arts and sciences in North Florida since 1955. Welcoming more than 200,000 attendees for two weeks of fun and entertainment each fall, the event is the largest fair in northeast Florida and ranked 47th in the United States by Amusement Business. Fairgoers enjoy everything from rides, concerts and competitions to livestock shows, arts and crafts exhibitions, and 4-H and FFA events. The fair also hosts an impressive horticulture show presented by the Garden Club of Jacksonville, which showcases a wide array of fruits, vegetables, hanging baskets and patio plants grown by Jacksonville area gardeners.
To find more Florida agriculture events in your area throughout the year, visit FDACS.gov.