What do you love about the Manatee County Fair? Here’s what they said on opening night

The 2020 Manatee County Fair opened to happy crowds in Palmetto on Thursday night.

The community tradition is in its 104th year, and it provides the best of farm life, entertainment, food and good-old-fashioned fun.

We asked some opening night visitors and volunteers what makes the fair a special experience for them.

Here’s what they had to say.

▪ The food,” said Ben Lara, a Manatee County resident who has frequented the fair for years — although his kids prefer the rides.

Lara and family were strolling down the midway on opening night to get a little bit of both.

▪ Steve and Susan Shoemaker from Myakka City seconded the food.

“You’ve got to have a corndog when you come to the fair,” Steve said.

Before grabbing some of the fried delicacies, Steve and Susan stopped in at the arts and crafts hall to find a special display. A photo of Steve dressed up as Santa Claus with a local boy scout tugging on his long white beard won a first place ribbon in the photography exhibitions.

▪ “Believe it or not, as a fair director, I like getting it set up — seeing all the different rides come in and some of the new things we have every year,” said Palmetto Commissioner Brian Williams. “Come five o’ clock, when everybody lights up, it’s a good thing. Because you know the kids are going to enjoy it.”

William’s favorite fair food? A cornbread waffle topped with pulled pork.

▪ “The gardens,” said Betty Ann Price, a Manatee County Master Gardener who gives demonstrations in the educational gardens on the fairgrounds.

Demonstrations are held in the garden each afternoon, and Price said the gardeners are happy to answer anyone’s questions about plants and how best to grow them in Florida.

“There are native butterfly gardens and rare fruit trees to see,” Price said. “The kids love the children’s garden — and so do the adults.”

▪ “The robot,” said Andrew Causer referring to “Rock It the Robot,” one of the strolling acts at the fair. Causer traveled from Sarasota for the fair, and he was sharing the experience with his three-year-old son for the first time.

Shhh! Don’t tell anyone, but Causer says that the Manatee County Fair has the Sarasota County Fair beat.

▪ Jolene Rhodes and friends were in from New York, and they came to the fair to see a cousin’s grandchildren (or something like that) take part in the swine show.

Aside from the livestock fun, Rhodes said they enjoyed the quilts and paintings in the arts and crafts area.

▪ “The music. Last year I loved Rhonda Vincent,” said local Gene Roy. Roy says she has been visiting the fair for 20 years, and she now brings along her daughter-in-law from Maryland. Rhodes is a tad disappointed that there isn’t any bluegrass on the music bill this year — but she was thankful for the warm weather on opening night.

▪ “The 4-H and (Future Farmers of America) activities for the kids,“ said Manatee County Commissioner Priscilla Trace. “And the fair food, of course.”

“I grew up doing 4-H,” said Trace, “so it’s important to me to support it.” Trace bragged on a grand champion steer that she showed at the fair many years ago which was named after local politician Jim Boyd.

▪ “The pig shows,” said Bailey Henderson, a Lakewood Ranch High School sophomore and 4-H participant.

A show-worthy pig takes about six months to raise, according to Henderson.

▪ “Naturally, the arts and crafts area,” said Bonnie Gano, a Bradenton resident and member of The Artists Guild of Manatee who was demonstrating her watercolor gift with a splash of vivid flowers in the Chaires Building. Gano also had acrylic, watercolor and cross stitch works in the arts and crafts show, including a scene of fisherman in Cortez that took a first place ribbon.

The talent didn’t stop there. Gano’s granddaughter had drawings in the exhibit, and her son and daughter in-law entered photographs — all of three them earned ribbons, too.

What’s next?

There’s a lot of fun ahead in the next 10 days of the fair, including pageants, livestock and plant shows, midway armband specials and live entertainment. Here’s a rundown of the headline acts:

▪ Jan. 17: Country band Restless Heart will perform at 7:30 p.m.

▪ Jan. 19: Christian rock band Unspoken will perform at 7 p.m.

▪ Jan. 21: The fair will host a veteran’s night featuring speaker Jessica Lynch and musician Darryl Worley; entry is free for all fairgoers.

▪ Jan. 22: Elvis impersonator Billy Lindsey will perform at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

▪ Jan. 23: Family comedian Andrew Stanley will perform at 7 p.m.

▪ Jan. 24: Country artist Tony Jackson will perform at 7:30 p.m.

Details: Through Jan. 26. Ages 13 and up: $10. Ages 6-12: $6. Seniors: $9. Military: $6. with Active Status I.D. Children 5 and under: free.

Info: manateecountyfair.com.

This story was originally published January 17, 2020 at 6:54 AM.