11/16/2019 Came on the last weekend of the fair (Saturday night) and yes it was packed with long lines and hard to find parking. This is a good sign! Lots of people means it is very popular. We actually parked outside of the venue in a private lot for $5 which was an excellent value. The lines of cars and associated traffic jams were almost at a complete standstill and we only walked 1 block to get in!
The line for entry tickets was super long and moving slowly as well. Another person in line mentioned that the North Florida Fair has a website with online ticket sales! So we logged in on our smartphones, filled out the necessary credit card information and were able to purchase $8 general admission entry tickets in a snap! (a small $1 service charge was applied per ticket) A barcode was emailed to us which was scanned at the gate on our iPhones and we were in! We cut our entry wait time to zero! Sweet!
Once inside we were immediately immersed into the lights, sounds and smells that define a fair. It was euphoric. We visited the pavilions first to see the many various categories of Fair contests all competing for that coveted 1st place blue ribbon! Livestock, arts, plants, prepared foods, quilts, etc., all in a friendly competition judged by I'm sure impeccable non-biased judges with excellent palates and senses, and having the knowledge of what it takes to choose a winner. It is so inspiring to see the local and surrounding communities coming together to be a part of such a wonderful fair tradition!
As we meandered down the midway it seemed everyone had smiles on their faces, the twinkle of glittering lights in their eyes, handfuls of foods and puppy love teens clasping hands. I wasn't surprised to see long lines for the more popular rides which seemed to move at a snails pace. There was an option to pay $35 which included main gate entry and unlimited rides. The fair was supposed to be open until the wee hours of Sunday morning and as the night wore on the crowds thinned out and the ride lines shortened. I'm pretty sure that those with the unlimited ride passes were able to get their monies worth as early birds departed.
I am a big fan of distractions. Life's distractions. The fair provides a way to let go of your daily grind temporarily to enjoy some fun family time or just do a little thrill seeking. The North Florida Fair delivers. read more