FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

A STATE FAIR FIRST: 5 ROLLER COASTERS & “YOU NAME IT” CONTEST

4800 U.S. Highway 301 North
Tampa, FL 33610
Phone (813) 621-7821             Fax (813) 740-3505             http://www.floridastatefair.com/

The “You Name It” roller coaster will be the largest, portable non-looping roller coaster ever to debut at a state fair.  Wade Shows, Inc. purchased it from Morey’s Pier, New Jersey where it was previously located as a permanent ride.  Visitors will have a chance to name the roller coaster upon arrival at the Florida State Fair.  The ride will be located in the northeast corner of the Fair’s Midway across from the Ford Amphitheatre.  Ride enthusiasts are encouraged to enjoy the ride and then drop off their name entry at one of six guest relations booths located across the Fairgrounds.  Visitors can enter as many names as they like but only one winning name-entry will be picked.

Contest rules and regulations can be found online, posted at the Fair's guest relations booths and at the “You Name It” roller coaster.  The contest begins on Thurs., Feb. 7, 2008 at 9 a.m. and ends on Wed., Feb 13, 2008 at closing time.  The winning entry selected will be contacted by Sat., Feb. 16, 2008 to claim their prize.

So what is the prize? The winning contestant will receive a $500 cash prize and the ride's new name will be displayed on Sun., Feb. 17 at the roller coaster.  What name will you think of?

The other new roller coaster is called G-Force which recently debuted at the 2007 Ohio State Fair.  The G-Force is a portable shuttle coaster with a drop tower that pulls riders up a U-shaped track and then releases quickly rocking back and forth several times down the track.  Visitors can find the G-Force ride on the west end of the Midway next to the White Water Flume ride.

Fred Brown, the Director of Operations at the Florida State Fairgrounds, stated:

“I have never seen a state fair with four major roller coaster rides and to my knowledge, this is the first time across the U.S. that a fair has had this many coasters at once.  The Florida State Fair has the largest, independent midway in the southeast and we are always excited to bring new additions to our Midway.”

The other three roller coasters that are returning from last year are the Wild Mouse and Zyklon located along the Midway and the Wacky Worm coaster located in Kiddie Land for the little ones.  Visitors can find these coasters on the Fair map & daily schedule available at all guest relations booths.

The 2008 Florida State Fair will feature 91 rides and more than 200 games and attractions throughout the grounds. 

All acts, concerts, scheduled times, exhibitors, prices, and other advertised events are subject to change and/or cancel without notice.  Fair gate admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages six to 11; and free for children five and younger.  NO RE-ENTRY is permitted without an admission ticket.  Gates open daily at 9 a.m. and parking is free during the 12 days of the Fair. 

The Florida State Fairgrounds is located just seven miles east of downtown Tampa, with easy access via I-75, I-4, U.S. Highway 301, Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, and Orient Road.  For more information about the 2008 Florida State Fair, call toll-free (800) 345-FAIR or (813) 621-7821, visit http://www.floridastatefair.com/ or http://myspace.com/floridastatefair.

The 104th annual Florida State Fair will take place on February 7-18, 2008.  The Florida State Fair – always in Tampa and always in February – is organized by the Florida State Fair Authority under the leadership of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson leads the Fair Authority, which oversees the Florida State Fairgrounds and the annual Florida State Fair.

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Denise Shreaves:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  
Manager of Marketing & Public Relations
Florida State Fair Authority
Phone (813) 627-4314 / Cell (813) 732-0141
 
OR

Vince Caruso:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Marketing Director 
Florida State Fair Authority
Phone (813) 627-4222