South Florida Fair returns to the fairgrounds

The South Florida Fair located at the West Palm Beach fairgrounds

Photo by Doreen Poreba

The South Florida Fair returns to the West Palm Beach fairgrounds on Southern Boulevard, west of the turnpike, from Jan. 14 to 30 with activities for the entire family, including stage shows, concert performances, midway rides, shopping, and, of course, food.

The South Florida Fair dates back to 1912, and it is the largest and oldest event in the community.

“I have been blessed to be a part of the South Florida Fair and Palm Beach County Expositions for over 35 years,” said Vicki Chouris, the president and CEO of the South Florida Fair. “The memories that have been made are too numerous to recount.”

This year’s fair highlights the “Rockin’ Robots” exposition with demonstrations of interactive robotic activities and bot battles. Robots show how they are used in fields such as education, science, and manufacturing. Rock-It the Robot, a 9-foot-tall galactic ambassador of goodwill that walks, talks, and rocks, mingles with as many earthlings as he can while lip-synching to fairgoers.

Lumia is a world class high energy visual show from Las Vegas that has been dubbed an "electrifying experience."

Photo by South Florida Fair

The 5,000-square-foot Robot Zoo exhibit allows children of all ages to explore the biomechanics of complex animal robots. They learn how chameleons change colors, how a giant squid can propel itself, and how a fly can walk on the ceiling. Fairgoers will see Oscar the Robot, who knows how to entertain crowds, along with “Lumia,” a high-energy visual show from Las Vegas.

“As always, we will continue to operate with safety in mind and will encourage best practices as it relates to COVID-19,” Chouris said.

Cleaning activities have been ramped up, and hand sanitizers and hand-washing stations are located throughout the facility, just as they were in 2021.

The fair marks the completion of Kids’ Mile, a 12-week training program that enables kids to complete a full, 26.2-mile marathon by running about 2 miles per week. Participants will run the final mile of the marathon Saturday, Jan. 15. The Palm Beach County School District endorses the South Florida Fair Kids’ Mile and encourages all elementary schools to participate.

An unusual cultural attraction is Yesteryear Village, where you can experience Florida life before 1940. The living history park features early original and replica Florida structures, such as a schoolhouse, a general store, a blacksmith shop, and homes. Events scheduled at Yesteryear Village include an old-time fiddlin’ contest and performances by the Low Ground Band and the Lubben Brothers, an acoustic group of triplets.

“We are change agents. Although we continue to have some of the traditional aspects of the fair, we do work hard to create displays and showcase entertainment that is new and contemporary,” said Chouris.

Live entertainment is offered at the Lift Your Spirits Beer & Wine Garden. Check the newsletter to see the performance schedule.

The Kubota South Florida Agriplex at the fairgrounds features 51,000 square feet of exhibit space to accommodate more than 150 exhibition booths. The Agricadabra show “Going Green with Ag” emphasizes the fundamentals of recycling, reducing and reusing.

“We have all the traditional fair offerings, including the chance to see live farm animals up close and personal,” said Chouris.

Advance general admission tickets to the fair are $10 online. Children under 10 are free.

An advance ride voucher can be purchased for $20. It’s good for $25 in ride coupons any day of the fair or one all-you-ride wristband valid one day Monday through Friday. For an additional $15, the voucher can be upgraded to a wristband valid on Saturday or Sunday.

The Jan. 15 Kids’ Mile requires a $10 fee to participate in the race. Once participants cross the finish line, they receive a free ticket into the fair. Online registration is now closed but participants can sign up at the race on Saturday, Jan. 15.

Purchase advance general admission tickets, advance ride vouchers and Kids’ Mile general admission tickets at southfloridafair.com/p/buy-tickets.

The South Florida Fair is held at 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. For further information, call 561-793-0333, or email fairnews@southfloridafair.com.