Sarasota Fairgrounds — Local services in Sarasota

Worst Sarasota county fair to date! I’ve been coming to this fair annually for over 20 years and I don’t know what happened this year but it’s a waste of time and money now. Tickets were a few dollars cheaper online but then they charged a $1 Convenience fee PER ticket not per transaction but per ticket. It used to only cost a few dollars a person to get in and it was nearly $40 for 3 adults and 1 child just to walk in the gates. There were barely any rides this year and they were almost all toddlers rides, arm bands were $25, they don’t even cost that much at the huge FL state fair! I expect the food to be over priced but in addition to all the food stands basically offering the same couple options, a single plate of chips being jacked up to $10, the venders were also all charging $1 extra to pay with a debit card. Considering we are living in an era of practically cashless societies I find it ridiculous to still be getting charged a fee to use a debit card (which should be considered the same as cash) on top of $10-$12 single food items. Don’t get me started on the fair games and their antics where it was $6 just to throw one single dart at some balloons and even though you were guaranteed a prize regardless of hitting a ballon and me paying the upgrade fee of $10 for 3 darts which my son hit all head on he still only won the smallest prize available. Spent almost $200 in the end without buying armbands or ride tickets and we still all left hungry and disappointed. Do yourself a favor and don’t waste your money, save it for the annual state fair where you’ll spend the same or less and be way more satisfied. Definitely won’t be going back next year...

Everything your county fair should be and MORE!!! Local artwork, photography and other forms of art. Vendors demonstrating their various wares and goodies. I’m a fan of the livestock barns and they didn’t disappoint 😀 different varieties of cattle and pigs - all well taken take care of by industrious and knowledgeable young people. There was a Wild West show, live music and Sea Lion show which was very educational.

We always delight in watching the kids ride all the adrenaline pumping rides. They kids are so enthusiastic and it’s fun to watch them embrace life. We watched the monkeys racing on the dogs backs, squealed for the pigs as they raced their track and held our breath during the Rock Circus acrobatic feats!

Fair food?? They had it all!! Sausages, steak tips, cheesesteaks, corn dogs (my fave) and of course there were fried Oreos!! All in all in was a grand day to enjoy...

The fairgrounds was fairly clean. The restrooms could have used 24 hour care. I purchased a hog from the 4-H group and I'm not real happy that they made me go with a certain butcher. The butcher that I was forced to use by the fairgrounds did not give me what I asked for and we did not get the whole pig back. But of course, as it always goes, we had to pay for the whole pig on top of all the processing fees. The paperwork showed that you were able to get back the whole pig. That was our request but that's not what happened. I think the fairground people should let the person or persons either take the hog home and feed it to get it bigger or let them choose their own butcher. Very disappointed in the way they butchered the hog. Ask for shoulder meat and they ground everything...