Free Tickets for School Students

Attention! Parents of Florida students! The 2011 Florida State Fair has a wonderful way to help you and your family save money during “The Best Time of the Year”. The Florida State Fair presents “Free Tickets for School Students”. Each year the following Florida county schools, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and Polk hand out free Florida State Fair tickets to each student. Each student will receive one ticket for admission to the Fair on their counties assigned day. Check your kid’s backpacks, because these tickets will be handed out soon! Below are the dates in which the tickets may be redeemed:

Hillsborough County Schools- Friday, February 11th

Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and Polk County Schools-Monday, February 21st

For more Fair information please visit http://www.floridastatefair.com/. We look forward to seeing you at “The Best Time of the Year”.

"Corndogs and Country" Line-Up Change

The Florida State Fair announced a line-up change to the 2011 “Corndogs and Country” Concert scheduled for the 2011 State Fair. Country singer Colt Ford will replace Jake Owen at the pop country concert taking place on February 11, 2011, 6pm at the Live Nation’s 1-800-ASK- GARY Amphitheatre. The other performers for “Corn Dogs and Country” include Craig Morgan, Joe Nichols, Sunny Sweeney and Brett Eldredge. Tickets are $20, plus fees, and are on sale now at LiveNation.com.

Busy Busy!

Hi Florida State Fair fans! "The Best Time of the Year" is just around the corner and things are progressing quickly. It is so exciting over here at the fairgrounds. Rides are coming in one after another and setting up, food booothes, ticket stands and tents are popping up like wildflowers! Everyone is working around the clock to make the 2011 fair amazing. Don't miss out!
You can buy advanced discount tickets online at http://www.floridastatefair.net/ (must order buy Feb 3rd) or at your local Sweetbay Supermarket.

To check out our Behind the Scenes of the 2011 Fair album, visit us on Facebook:

http://http//www.facebook.com/floridastatefairgrounds

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Youth International Cooking Challenge!

Youth International Cooking Challenge

Tampa, Fl

Those messy kitchen cooking experiments might finally pay off. Put your child’s cooking curiosity to good use and enter them into the Florida State Fair International Cooking Challenge. This competition is opened to all middle and high school students in the State of Florida and is a fun way to show off their culinary talents. To participate in the challenge, the recipe must have international flair. Anyone who participates must be able to attend the Florida State Fair on February 17^th at 6:30 pm with their dish prepared in a non breakable container to be sampled by judges. Check in for the challenge will be at Gate 2 on February 17^th between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Contestants must complete an entry form to be mailed or emailed in along with a copy of the recipe they will be making. All entry forms must be received no later than February 14, 2011.

Florida State Fair Authority/Cooking Challenge

4800 Highway 301 North, Tampa, FL 33610

Or email the info to: cookingchallenge@floridastatefair.com

Entry form: http://www.floridastatefair.com/state-fair/competitions

Showcase their culinary talents and win great prizes!

1^st Place $500

2^nd Place $250

3^rd Place $125

Get your future celebrity chef in the kitchen and start prepping now.

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For more information contact Scott Merselis, Marketing and Public Relations Manager, at 813-477-0142 or email him at scott.merselis@freshfromflorida.com.

Countdown to Fair…Time to Prepare!

It's Monday, and Monday’s are list making day. So I am going to help you out with a top 10 list of what you can do to prepare early for the “Best Time of the Year”.

5- Get advanced tickets and save $4 per adult ticket. Visit Sweetbay stores , or http://www.floridastatefair.net/home.

4-Coming from far away? Or want to have a fair getaway weekend? Book one of our preferred hotels now before they fill up. http://www.floridastatefair.com/state-fair/lodging/hotels

3-Get your “Corndogs and Country” tickets online. $20 plus fees, gets you an awesome country concert plus admission into the fair! http://www.floridastatefair.net/home

2-Buy your 2011 Florida State Fair coupon books and ride tickets/armbands online. http://www.floridastatefair.net/home

1-Follow us on Twitter @flstfairgrounds and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/floridastatefairgrounds for chances to win tickets leading up to the fair.

Get excited because fair time is less than 25 days away!! I can already smell the funnel cakes and_____on a stick! Oh and deep fried_______!!!

"Corndogs n' Country"

What are two of the best things in the world? Food on a stick and country music. Jackpot! On Friday February 11th at 6pm, the 2011 Florida State Fair welcomes the “Corndogs n’ Country” concert presented by WQYK at the Live Nation Entertainments’ 1-800 Ask Gary Amphitheatre. This concert will feature performances by country superstars Craig Morgan, Joe Nichols, Colt Ford, Sunny Sweeney and Brett Eldredge. $20 (plus fees) is all you need to partake in this awesome night of fun. Come early because with the concert, the $20 also gets you an armband to gain access between the concert and the State Fair. You can’t beat that value! Tickets can be purchased at LiveNation.com, TicketMaster.com, FloridaStateFair.com, WQYK.com, and all TicketMaster Outlets.

“We are excited to be able to offer fairgoers the opportunity to enjoy the State Fair and some great country music”, said Charles Pesano, Executive Director for the Florida State Fair Authority.

Besides having fun you will also be able to stick to your New Year’s resolution by contributing to a good cause. The Amphitheatre will donate a portion of each ticket sold to support the University of South Florida Tutor a Bull Program, which pairs USF college students with middle school students in need of tutoring.

So get your ticket, rally up some friends, pull the boots and 10 gallons out and head on over to the “Best Time of the Year” for some “Corndog n’ Country” fun!
See Y’all Soon!