2023 South Florida Fair to present new and returning attractions

Posted 1/3/23

The South Florida Fair, January 13-29, will celebrate 111 years of family fun and will feature new and returning attractions

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2023 South Florida Fair to present new and returning attractions

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WEST PALM BEACH — The South Florida Fair, January 13-29, will celebrate 111 years of family fun and will feature new and returning attractions. Highlights include:

• The fair’s 2023 theme is “Dino-Myte.” Theme-related features include up to a dozen full-scale, moving, scientifically accurate, animatronic dinosaurs and dinosaur-related exhibits. There also will be self-contained shows and family entertainment dedicated to dinosaurs along with walk-around performers in dinosaur costumes. Docents with realistic baby dinosaur puppets also will interact with fairgoers.

• Extreme Illusions and Escapes – new for 2023, presented by American Bath & Shower. This show is one of the largest ones touring the USA today. Featuring Josh & Lea Knotts, the duo has designed a show mixed with stage illusions, skillful escapes, audience participation and music to go along with it. Not an everyday magic act, the show has become a crowd favorite at every event where they have performed. They’ve traveled the U.S. entertaining audiences of all sizes and have performed more than 300 shows annually since 2009.

• Dinotopia On Ice, presented by Ford. A Florida based, international company founded in 1994 with more than 50 years combined experience, Rosstyn Ice Shows showcases professional performances by adagio pairs with their breathtaking moves. Star soloists and talented skaters perform with elaborate costumes, lighting, sound, special effects, scenery and unique specialty acts on ice, including jugglers, comedians, magicians and singers.

• Two different wine pairing dinners, presented by the Sun Sentinel — all new for 2023! Scheduled on Monday, Jan. 23, and on Friday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. in the hospitality building. Presented by Cugini Winery, limited tickets will be available for $75 per person, which includes fair admission. Reservations are required. Wine tastings also will occur each day in building 3 along with demonstrations (included in fair admission).

• A new horse show titled “Hollywood Horses Tricks and Tales” is expected to wow guests. “Hollywood Horses Tricks and Tales” is an exciting and educational show owned by Austin Anderson. He teaches the audience how the horses are trained and discusses how he approaches training, working with a horse’s natural ability and how to enhance it. After a fun audience participation and a few demonstrations, Anderson will then have the horses perform some amazing tricks.

• More than 200 rides, games and attractions, including the return of the Midway Sky Eye, known as the “giant wheel.” As North America’s largest traveling Ferris wheel, the ride reaches a peak height of 155 feet and is comprised of more than 500 pieces. More than 524,000 individual LED red, green, blue, yellow, orange and purple lights, make it the brightest spectacle at the fair. Guests also can see for miles from the top of this ride. New rides include the Wave Swinger and Corky’s Wipeout.

• Award-winning agriculture and livestock program featuring more than 1,000 exhibitors from more than 30 Florida counties. The always popular Mooternity barn gives guests a chance to see calves being born.

• Five stages of live music and entertainment featuring country, rock, disco and more. The Tribute Band Competition also is returning on Saturday, Jan. 28.

• A drumline competition and two robotic competitions, new in 2023, on the K & M community stage and the Concourse Building.

• Comedy hypnotist Brad Matchett returns with his family-friendly Vegas style hypnosis show. Willing volunteers who are selected to be in the show provide plenty of laughs for the audience.

• A kids’ bake off on Jan. 21 will include 25 children from Palm Beach County schools who will make a variety of desserts.

• Artist Alley will feature the artwork of some of the area’s most creative artists in building 2, and the Horton Fair Display will show off a giant fair display of rides and more, all made from recycled materials.

• The usual “fried everything” will be offered, always a top reason why guests attend the fair. New items include Miller Lemonade’s pickle lemonade, Holy Macaroni’s Thai bowls and its build-your-own macaroni bowls, which were introduced last year.

• Children’s workshop - In conjunction with the Downtown Development Authority’s “The Next Big Thing” project, world-renowned Finnish artist and architect, Marco Casagrande, will present a workshop in Yesteryear Village on Monday, Jan. 16. He was the winner of the DDA’s quest to bring a unique and imaginative outdoor experience to the heart of West Palm Beach. Children have been selected to draw their concept of a trojan horse during the workshop, which may be observed by guests. Casagrande will take their concepts and create eight life-sized rocking horses, which will be displayed in March.

• The return of $2 Tuesdays featuring $2 admission. Each food vendor will offer a sample food item for just $2 and most rides will be $2.

• The return of daily parades featuring custom floats straight from New Orleans, lots of beads that are tossed to onlookers and music by the fair’s own marching band.

• The return of the Moo-ternity Exhibit. At the 2022 fair, 19 calves were born, including one set of twins.

• The return of the Miss South Florida Fair & Miss Palm Beach County Scholarship Competition. Participants will compete for more than $13,000 in scholarships. The live portion of the contest will be held on Saturday, Jan. 14, starting at 4 p.m. inside the Expo East Theater. Both title winners are automatically entered into the Miss Florida 2022 Competition.

• Scholarships - The fair awarded 23 scholarships totaling $50,750 to 19 local students in 2022. Another $55,000 will be awarded to 21 recipients at the 2023 South Florida Fair.

• A favorite, the Sundy Feed Store, will have locally grown vegetables, rice and products for fairgoers to purchase and take home. The Ag-xotic Landscape Contests will return in which area schools will compete. This will take place beside the Sundy Feed Store.

For more information, call 561-793-0333 or toll-free in Florida 800-640-FAIR or visit www.southfloridafair.com.

south florida fair

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