The Florida State Fair is back, and though things may look a little different this year, the cows, the corn dogs and rides are all still here. For a little perspective, we thought we’d publish a few photos from the Florida State Archives, documenting the fair over the last 100 years.
Photos by Florida Memory
Scene from the Florida State Fair in Tampa, 1990 Credit: Florida MemoryView showing Pat Muar, left, with friends at the 1970 Florida State Fair – Tampa, Florida, 1977 Credit: Florida MemoryCrowds entering the South Florida Fair, 1922 Credit: Florida MemoryAmusement ride at the 1977 Florida State Fair in Tampa, 1977 Credit: Florida MemoryTommy Thompson with his mother Annie at the Florida State Fair in Tampa, 1960 Credit: Florida MemoryBird’s eye view overlooking the 1977 Florida State Fair in Tampa. Credit: Florida MemoryCrowds enjoying the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida MemoryTommy Dodgen, age 4, standing by the largest lamp in the world, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryView showing people at the 1970 Florida State Fair, 1970 Credit: Florida MemoryAmusement rides at the Tampa State Fair, 1977 Credit: Florida MemoryBird’s eye view of the Florida State Fair in Tampa, 1940 Credit: Florida MemoryEntrance gateway to the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryView of the Florida State Fairgrounds, 1963 Credit: Florida MemoryView of amusement rides at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryExhibit booths at the Tampa State Fair, 1977 Credit: Florida MemoryFerris wheels at the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida MemoryView of amusement rides at the Florida State Fair , 1964 Credit: Florida MemoryFERA-built exhibition buildings at Florida State Fair, 1935 Credit: Florida MemoryCrowds gathered at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryAtlantic Coast Line engine number 1652 on display at the Florida State Fair, 1930 Credit: Florida MemoryBarbara Tynos enjoying the honey exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryBobby Griffin at the Polk County orange exhibit at the Florida State Fair. 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryCarolyn Menendez enjoying a strawberry at the Florida State Fair. 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryClaude Tanner at the Future Farmers of America egg exhibit, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryCrowds watching automobile race at the Florida State Fair, 1964 Credit: Florida MemoryCrowds watching automobile race at the Florida State Fair, 1964 Credit: Florida MemoryDavid Turner, age 5, at the Frigidaire Corporation exhibit, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryDisplay of citrus products at the State Fair, 1910 Credit: Florida MemoryEgg painting demonstration at the Florida State Fair, 1981 Credit: Florida MemoryElsie meeting Emperor II at the Florida State Fair, 1949 Credit: Florida MemoryEntrance to an “adults only” exhibition at the 1970 Florida State Fair, 1970 Credit: Florida MemoryErnest Kreher at the Florida Forest Service exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryFlorida Citrus Exchange exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryFlorida Farmers’ Cooperative Association exhibit at State Fair, 1946 Credit: Florida MemoryFlorida Governor Farris Bryant at the Florida State Fair, 1961 Credit: Florida MemoryFlorida Governor Farris Bryant poses with employees of the Six Gun Territory theme park at the Florida State Fair, 1961 Credit: Florida MemoryFlorida Highway Patrol exhibition display at the 1947 Florida State Fair in Tampa, Florida, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryGadsden County shade tobacco exhibit at the 1905 Florida State Fair in Tampa, Florida, 1905 Credit: Florida MemoryGlades County exhibit at the Florida State Fair in Tampa, 1924 Credit: Florida MemoryGovernor Claude Kirk with the State Board of Conservation display at the Florida State Fair, 1967 Credit: Florida MemoryGovernor Farris Bryant learning about the machine for viewing films, 1961 Credit: Florida MemoryGovernor Fuller Warren appearing at the State Fair, 1949 Credit: Florida MemoryGovernor Fuller Warren placing a band of orange blossoms around Elsie, 1949 Credit: Florida MemoryHavatampa Incorporated exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryHernando County exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida MemoryHernando County exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida MemoryHome Economics exhibition at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryJack Graham standing by model plane at State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryJoanne Revell and prize winning Canadian gander, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryKaiser-Frazer Corporation exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryLake County citrus exhibit at Florida State Fair, 1937 Credit: Florida MemoryLake County fair exhibit – Florida State Fair, 1920 Credit: Florida MemoryLinda Marlin at an agricultural exhibition – Tampa, Florida, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryManatee County vegetable exhibit at the Florida State Fair – Tampa, Florida, 1963 Credit: Florida MemoryMen with balloons at the 1970 Florida State Fair – Tampa, Florida, 1970 Credit: Florida MemoryOldsmar citrus exhibit at South Florida Fair, 1920 Credit: Florida MemoryTampa Armature Works, Inc. exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryView of the Florida State Fairgrounds, 1963 Credit: Florida MemoryView of the Florida State Fairgrounds, 1963 Credit: Florida MemoryView of the Florida State Fairgrounds from ferris wheel, 1964 Credit: Florida MemoryView of the Tampa State Fairground, 1977 Credit: Florida MemoryView showing some of the people at the 1970 Florida State Fair Credit: Florida MemoryView showing the Swiss-Bob roller coaster at the 1970 Florida State Fair, 1970 Credit: Florida MemoryVolusia County exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida MemoryWashers and ironers exhibition at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryWeekiwachee display booth at the Florida State Fair, 1949 Credit: Florida MemoryWomen playing with Elsie the Borden cow at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida MemoryAerial view of the Tampa State Fairgrounds – Tampa, Florida, 1977 Credit: Florida Memory
