Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Broward Fair ends its 5-year absence
Event opens at Gulfstream Park
After a five-year forced hiatus due to a lack of space and snubs from some cities, the Broward County Fair is back.
The 10-day event kicked off at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach Friday night with more than 75 rides, games, foodstands, shows, and the usual fair fare, except for the animals that organizers hope to bring back to future fairs.
Gulfstream Park was home to the fair for about 20 years before massive renovations added stores, a casino and other attractions to the park in the mid-1990s.
“Since then we’ve been bouncing all around just because there was no place else to handle big events like this,” said fair president Bob Anz.
Organizers are hoping between 75,000 and 100,000 will find their way back to the fair through Thanksgiving weekend.
“We were doing pre-sales, getting the word out, and people were going, ‘Oh my God, that’s fantastic. The fair’s back,’” he said. “They were all so excited especially because it was in Gulfstream for some reason.”
Angel Fernandez brought his family from Aventura Saturday afternoon, and he said it’s a lot different than he remembers it.
“It used to take up the entire parking lot,” he said. “But, it’s a good start for a comeback.”
Hope Bradshaw came from Fort Lauderdale with her toddling nieces and nephews.
“There’s a lot more rides,” she said. “It’s actually bigger.”
The crowds came in waves. Anz said the fair could handle about 15,000 to 20,000 people per day. Organizers estimated 60 to 100 were coming through each of the five gates every hour Saturday.
The fairgrounds are located on the north side of Gulfstream Park with two midways. Self-parking was free. Valet parking cost $10. Parking lots were filling up fast.
Admission starts at $6 for anyone 27-52 inches tall, $10 for anyone taller than 53 inches, and infants are free. There’s a range of ride ticket prices.
“We’re cheaper now,” Anz said. “Back in the day we were charging $30 to $35 for a wrist band [and] we have deals right now that go down to $15 a wrist band.”
Police, fire inspectors and ride inspectors are on site to make sure everything runs smoothly and safely.
“All the rides were inspected by the state very diligently with every little detail because we didn’t want to have any problems,” he said.
The biggest problem Sheldon Riles, of Coral Springs, had was getting daughter Jasmine, 6, and son Jacob, 4, off the rides.
“They’re enjoying themselves,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. Absolutely.”