North Florida Fair brings food, fun and entertainment

Adults and children waited in line to get on a thrilling ride. Photos by Christopher Lampley

Children were at a stand still while riding bumper cars

Children screamed joyfully while riding the ride.

Spectators pet and fed the animals.

By Christopher Lampley

Outlook Writer

Corndogs, large stuffed animals and turkey legs were considered “have to get” items for many people who attended opening night of the North Florida Fair at the North Florida Fairgrounds Nov. 5.

In spite of the wet fairgrounds, due to rain earlier in the day, opening night was nothing less than stellar for many of its spectators. Adults, children and even a few pets were on hand to witness the live entertainment, new rides and a wide assortment of food.

“I honestly thought that the rain would cause people to rethink coming out and having fun although it’s wet, but I was wrong,” Michael Faust said. Faust, a ride operator, said that wet conditions are usually the only thing that keeps people away from the fair.

“I’ve seen people have fun in the freezing cold but not rain, good to see people not let wet weather affect them,” Faust added.

Opening night’s entertainment included performances from the Moto-Manic Thrill show, a pig race and performance from world renowned hypnotist, Richard Barker.

For more of the hands-on people in attendance, two petting zoos displayed a wide assortment of animals including a zebra and a kangaroo. People were able to feed the animals, ride donkeys and even take certain animals for a walk. “This is a perfect place for some family fun… it feels like everybody out here is a big family, having fun and enjoying the food and festivities,” Janice Crumbley said. Crumbley said she attends the fair every year because it continuously gets bigger and better.

“I even tell my relatives to come in town to indulge in the food and fun… like who wouldn’t want to be here?” Crumbley added.

One of the biggest at-tractions of this year’s fair, for many of the comers of opening night, was the enormous candy exhibition. From bon-bons to fruit chews, every candy possibly known to man was on display to treat al-most any and every sweet tooth.

“As soon as my kids saw the candy sign, they ran… we were in there for an hour. So much candy, my God,” Ventrell Shaw said. Shaw, a native of Quincy, FL and a mother of five, relished about how much candy was on hand.

“I think I got a couple cavities by just looking was on display to treat al-most any and every sweet tooth (at) all that candy,” Shaw added.

The fair is a week and a half long and lasts through Nov. 15.

For more information regarding admission prices, events and vendor options, you can visit north-floridafair.com.