Our Story

From a small start in 1904, to our explosive events today, the Florida State Fairgrounds believes that nothing brings a community together like a good time. That has been the core of our efforts since our first fair, held in downtown Tampa at Henry B. Plant’s Tampa Bay Hotel.

In 1915, we combined with Tampa’s Gasparilla Carnival to become the biggest, best, most-deep-fried event of the year – now known as the Florida State Fair. Community members gathered from every corner of the state to eat, compete and celebrate everything Florida.

As we grew in popularity, the need for a governing body arose. In 1975, the Florida State Legislature created the Florida State Fair Authority. Now an official organization, we packed up and moved to our new home – the Florida State Fairgrounds you know and love today, just off of Interstate 4

Today, the Florida State Fairgrounds is a year-round hub for community-oriented fun. The Fairgrounds attracts over 1.5 million visitors throughout the year, all looking to have fun, learn, or try something new. While some things have changed, our goals have not. We still strive to celebrate Florida through amazing events, hands-on experiences and educational opportunities.