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Time For Fair Play

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 7, 2008

THE BASICS

The 104th Florida State Fair runs today through Feb. 18. Gates open at 9 a.m. The midway opens at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. on weekends. Closing times will vary, depending on weather and other factors. Most nights, the fair will close between 10 p.m. and midnight.

•Admission is $10 for ages 12 and older, $5 for ages 6-11; free for children age 5 and younger. Parking is free.

•Ride tickets are $1 each. Different rides require different numbers of tickets. Armbands are available for $25 and admit fairgoers to unlimited rides, with some restrictions, Friday, Sunday and Feb. 15, 17 and 18. A special armband is available today for $15.

•For information, call (813) 621-7821 or visit www.floridastatefair.com.

WHAT'S NEW

What happens at the fair, stays at the fair. This year's theme is "It's Showtime, Baby!" Fairgoers will get a glimpse of Las Vegas with "GLITZ," a 45-minute, family-friendly musical with showgirls, musical tributes and celebrity impersonators. The Vegas revue is included in the price of admission and will be performed at the fairgrounds' Entertainment Hall. Showtimes vary.

•King Crowned - The national finals of the Elvis Impersonator Extravaganza will be Feb. 16 and 17. Contestants will be judged on vocals, authenticity, appearance and delivery.

•We're Rollin' - The Florida Roller Derby Championship will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 18.

•Taking It To The Mat - Nine matches will feature WWE Stars of Tomorrow Feb. 15. Wrestlers sign autographs at 5 p.m., and matches begin at 6. Matches will include bouts between men and women and a 20-man Battle Royal. State titles will be given in heavyweight, diva and tag-team classes.

OLD FAVORITES

•Dennis Lee has been playing the fair for 28 years, offering a blend of musical genres and comedy.

•This will be Johnny Welde's 15th year entertaining fairgoers with his brown bear show.

•Gary the Silent Clown has ridden his unicycle around the fairgrounds for more than a decade, stopping to make balloon animals.

•The Gatlinburg Craftsman's Fair is entering its second decade at the fair, displaying members' handmade items and offering demonstrations in stained glass, jewelry, pottery, stoneware, ceramics and leather.

GOING GREEN

•To promote renewable fuels and state agriculture, 100 percent biodiesel will be used in all diesel engines at the fair, including vehicles, generators that power the rides and all heavy equipment.

DEEP-FRIED

•Trans-fat cooking oils will be eliminated from the food vendors' deep fryers this year. Trans-fat or partially hydrogenated cooking oil raises a nibbler's bad cholesterol.

•Deep-fried cookie dough joins old fair favorites like deep-fried fudge, bratwurst, Pepsi and corn dogs.

THOUGHTS ON FOOD

•New treats this year include pizza on a stick and walking tacos. The pizza is made the standard way in an oven, but rolled up and served on a stick after baking. The taco is a choice of ingredients - ground beef, beans, lettuce, shredded cheese, onions and tomatoes - put into a bag of Fritos or Doritos and eaten with a fork.

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