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 Memory
View showing Pat Muar, left, with friends at the 1970 Florida State Fair – Tampa, Florida, 1977 Credit: Florida Memory
Crowds entering the South Florida Fair, 1922 Credit: Florida Memory
Amusement ride at the 1977 Florida State Fair in Tampa, 1977 Credit: Florida Memory
Tommy Thompson with his mother Annie at the Florida State Fair in Tampa, 1960 Credit: Florida Memory
Bird’s eye view overlooking the 1977 Florida State Fair in Tampa. Credit: Florida Memory
Crowds enjoying the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida Memory
Tommy Dodgen, age 4, standing by the largest lamp in the world, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
View showing people at the 1970 Florida State Fair, 1970 Credit: Florida Memory
Amusement rides at the Tampa State Fair, 1977 Credit: Florida Memory
Bird’s eye view of the Florida State Fair in Tampa, 1940 Credit: Florida Memory
Entrance gateway to the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
View of the Florida State Fairgrounds, 1963 Credit: Florida Memory
View of amusement rides at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Exhibit booths at the Tampa State Fair, 1977 Credit: Florida Memory
Ferris wheels at the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida Memory
View of amusement rides at the Florida State Fair , 1964 Credit: Florida Memory
FERA-built exhibition buildings at Florida State Fair, 1935 Credit: Florida Memory
Crowds gathered at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Atlantic Coast Line engine number 1652 on display at the Florida State Fair, 1930 Credit: Florida Memory
Barbara Tynos enjoying the honey exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Bobby Griffin at the Polk County orange exhibit at the Florida State Fair. 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Carolyn Menendez enjoying a strawberry at the Florida State Fair. 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Claude Tanner at the Future Farmers of America egg exhibit, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Crowds watching automobile race at the Florida State Fair, 1964 Credit: Florida Memory
Crowds watching automobile race at the Florida State Fair, 1964 Credit: Florida Memory
David Turner, age 5, at the Frigidaire Corporation exhibit, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Display of citrus products at the State Fair, 1910 Credit: Florida Memory
Egg painting demonstration at the Florida State Fair, 1981 Credit: Florida Memory
Elsie meeting Emperor II at the Florida State Fair, 1949 Credit: Florida Memory
Entrance to an “adults only” exhibition at the 1970 Florida State Fair, 1970 Credit: Florida Memory
Ernest Kreher at the Florida Forest Service exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Florida Citrus Exchange exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Florida Farmers’ Cooperative Association exhibit at State Fair, 1946 Credit: Florida Memory
Florida Governor Farris Bryant at the Florida State Fair, 1961 Credit: Florida Memory
Florida Governor Farris Bryant poses with employees of the Six Gun Territory theme park at the Florida State Fair, 1961 Credit: Florida Memory
Florida Highway Patrol exhibition display at the 1947 Florida State Fair in Tampa, Florida, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Gadsden County shade tobacco exhibit at the 1905 Florida State Fair in Tampa, Florida, 1905 Credit: Florida Memory
Glades County exhibit at the Florida State Fair in Tampa, 1924 Credit: Florida Memory
Governor Claude Kirk with the State Board of Conservation display at the Florida State Fair, 1967 Credit: Florida Memory
Governor Farris Bryant learning about the machine for viewing films, 1961 Credit: Florida Memory
Governor Fuller Warren appearing at the State Fair, 1949 Credit: Florida Memory
Governor Fuller Warren placing a band of orange blossoms around Elsie, 1949 Credit: Florida Memory
Havatampa Incorporated exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Hernando County exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida Memory
Hernando County exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida Memory
Home Economics exhibition at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Jack Graham standing by model plane at State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Joanne Revell and prize winning Canadian gander, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Kaiser-Frazer Corporation exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Lake County citrus exhibit at Florida State Fair, 1937 Credit: Florida Memory
Lake County fair exhibit – Florida State Fair, 1920 Credit: Florida Memory
Linda Marlin at an agricultural exhibition – Tampa, Florida, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Manatee County vegetable exhibit at the Florida State Fair – Tampa, Florida, 1963 Credit: Florida Memory
Men with balloons at the 1970 Florida State Fair – Tampa, Florida, 1970 Credit: Florida Memory
Oldsmar citrus exhibit at South Florida Fair, 1920 Credit: Florida Memory
Tampa Armature Works, Inc. exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
View of the Florida State Fairgrounds, 1963 Credit: Florida Memory
View of the Florida State Fairgrounds, 1963 Credit: Florida Memory
View of the Florida State Fairgrounds from ferris wheel, 1964 Credit: Florida Memory
View of the Tampa State Fairground, 1977 Credit: Florida Memory
View showing some of the people at the 1970 Florida State Fair Credit: Florida Memory
View showing the Swiss-Bob roller coaster at the 1970 Florida State Fair, 1970 Credit: Florida Memory
Volusia County exhibit at the Florida State Fair, 1963 Credit: Florida Memory
Washers and ironers exhibition at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Weekiwachee display booth at the Florida State Fair, 1949 Credit: Florida Memory
Women playing with Elsie the Borden cow at the Florida State Fair, 1947 Credit: Florida Memory
Aerial view of the Tampa State Fairgrounds – Tampa, Florida, 1977 Credit: Florida Memory