National Peanut Festival — Local services in Dothan

A total rip off! My family and I drove an hour tonight to attend the festival and purchased tickets at the kiosks outside the entrance near parking. $10 pp for entry for 4 people and an additional $70 for 2 wristbands. Totaling $110 on entry. We took restroom breaks and went on to the checkpoint to be cleared for entry. After being cleared to enter we went to the next set of lines where entry tickets were being taken. Show all six tickets and were given back the two wristband tickets and told they were our wristbands. Long story short we ate first and got a drawing made before riding rides. We then were ready for our first ride, the kids chose the Dragon Express (there’s another name but ehh). I gave the tickets to the attendant and explained to him we didn’t know if we needed to redeem them or if the QR codes would be used at each ride he told me okay and turned around and began the ride. Not wanting to be alarmed too soon I waited on the ride to end and asked him for the tickets back as they were wristband tickets. It was then I realized he didn’t speak a lick of English and apparently couldn’t read it ither. I tried to explain still and he just shrugged his shoulders and told my children, husband and I “so what”. He was so cold. We went to the entrance to find someone to help us sort the issue and was told by a Mr. Patrick to go see the carnival ppl at the striped tent near the Ferris wheel. We obliged. After walking a half mile to the carnival tent I began explaining to the blonde headed worker that answered the box. She immediately looked at me as if I had three heads and began to tell me she couldn’t help with tickets purchased online. I explained we didn’t purchase tickets online but outside at the kiosks and she told me no. After staring a little while longer she proceeds to tell me we bought Peanut Festival wristbands and not carnival wristbands there was nothing she could do and suggested I speak with the peanut festival people. ATP I’m honestly pissed and I leave. I typed all this to say amazing parking lot control and security measures but no one cared whether our children got to enjoy themselves after an hour long car ride. There was no clear signage that said where to buy tickets or what type of tickets to buy. We just found a “ticket” sign and purchased. We weren’t trying to scam or be difficult we just wanted help and no staff cared. We haven’t been since precovid and really looked forward to it. Even planned to come back tomorrow once the rain began and the kids hadn’t rode anything. Anyways I took three very disappointed kids home tonight after spending close to $350 on entry, food and souvenirs. Where...

I visited my friends in Enterprise, AL and Googled things to do. The National Peanut Festival was in full swing. We chose a day when the Festival was offering Senior Day from approximately 11am CST to 4 pm CST and the price was perfect: FREE. If we had gone that evening, again the price would have been perfect: FREE for military personnel and family members (active and retired). The fairgrounds were easy to navigate. People with wheelchairs, walkers and canes could travel safely. Benches were conveniently and amply placed. Handicapped access to restrooms and showrooms was available and most of the halls were air-conditioned and included water fountains. We spent over three hours cruising the vendors' wares, the peanut products, exhibits, and food. The rides were not running until after five. We had free reign of the park. Upon entry, we were greeted by a vibrant display of mums and peanut "bushes" among tiers of bales of hay and a John Deere tractor. It was a great attraction for photo ops. There was a delightful man from New Jersey who displayed and demonstrated his chain saw carving--very gregarious. A free display of exotic animals, reptiles, and birds was inviting--clean, fresh smelling, and appeared to be healthy. A historical locomotive was also an exhibit. Of course, the whole theme of the National Peanut Festival (NPF) was the legume: boiled, roasted, shelled, "buttered", battered ...and they were reflected in some of the following: fine artwork, photography, ceramics, fiber arts-- yarn and fabric, crafts, vignettes, and integrated with agriculture. I was told by a security guard that the NPF was comparable to an Alabama State Fair. All the amenities were there, including a comfort and aid station. I felt the NPF was more cozy, more like a county fair. The most exciting part for me was walking out of the competition hall and encountering a 20 foot high tower/silo of raw peanuts emptying into 4 troughs. They were for the taking. Vendors had given us free plastic bags and we loaded them. I must have brought 15 pounds back to North Carolina. I boiled them in two batches: mildly salty and spicy. What a fantastic FREE souvenir to receive from the National Peanut Festival. Here's looking forward to next year in late...

A mom of 4, review.... First.... they said my purse was too big so I couldn't bring it in. I asked them how is all the other moms bringing in large bags ok but my side purse wasn't? They said because they have a stroller.... so i guess if you have a stroller, wheelchair, or a wagon, they dont care. But if you have my purse lol, they did. Meanwhile, they were letting others through with book bags in that were clearly bigger than mine and that just ticked me off, tbh. So my husband had to go to the car, put my purse back and wait in line for another 30 mins. to get back in. While we were all waiting for him, others ended up in the same boat and ppl were ticked off at the front. They did have lots of rides but get there early so you don't have to wait a long. Food was decent but wasn't expecting much since it was fair food. Ice cream place was out of a lot, so went to the ice cream man, lol, it wasn't good ($8 for a small vanilla icecream cone). Lemonade was ok but wasn't fresh as advertised. Literally put lemonade mix in. Not the same as fresh, real lemonade... which is fine but waiting 20 mins in line wasn't worth it! Over all, not super bad but it wasn't a great experience either. Especially, spending almost 600$. We live a hour away so we still went in for the kids. Or else, I would have gone home. $240 to get into the place. $150 on food and drinks (2 kids shared because it was so exspensive! Like, 12-15$ for 1 item... had to buy several bottles of water) $100 total for kids buying 1 souvenir... and almost $100 on lemonade, icecream, cotton candy, funnel cake...we played 2 games ($20).... we are a bigger family and expect to pay more, but when we pay that much, I at least want to bring my purse in, especially when others were being allowed! It's a fair. I get that. I expect it to rip you off and waste a lot of money for nothing. This fair didn't disappoint us from...