Stroll through the food court at the Pasco County Fair and you'll quickly realize the grub isn't just "fair food" anymore. While county fairs probably will sell cotton candy, corn dogs and elephant ears as long as there are Ferris wheels, this year's fair has some new vendors and quirky menu items, as well as established vendors who offer family-size meals. The novelties include a barbecue sundae made by Sandy Class of Bell, who owns Grandma Brown's Cinnamon Rolls with husband John. Sold in the Madill Building, Class' sundae is served in a cup with baked beans on the bottom, coleslaw in the middle, and pork or beef topped with barbecue sauce. Here are four highlighted vendors: ...more

February 21, 2008

The squall line that blew through Central Florida on Monday couldn't have had lousier timing. Not only did it declare, in soaking fashion, a startling end to a week's worth of chamber of commerce weather, it did so in lock step with the high school bands marching down Seventh Street to proclaim the start of the 61st Pasco County Fair, reducing their traditional trumpeting to so much brass-plated gargling. ...more

February 21, 2008

Seven local garage bands will lay it on the line tonight, kicking out the jams for respect and cash at the Pasco County Fair's first battle of the bands. ...more

February 20, 2008

Give Mark Mains a Sharpie and a piece of white paper, and he can draw your likeness in less than three minutes. ...more

February 20, 2008

Sure, there will be thrill rides, livestock judging and sales, and greasy-but-good food. ...more

February 19, 2008

Nothing gets in the way of a good parade. Rain didn't slow Monday afternoon's procession of floats, marching bands and classic cars, which marked the start of the 61st-annual Pasco County Fair. ...more

February 19, 2008

Meet: Angel Baynard Pasco High School student, 15, Wesley Chapel. ...more

February 17, 2008

Meet: Sarah Joyce, 16, Land O' Lakes I have been in the agriculture program since my ninth-grade year and have been showing heifers at the Pasco County and Florida State fairs since then. I love being in this program, because I have a lot of fun, and it's also a great experience for someone who loves animals. ...more

February 10, 2008

Whether by foresight or sheer serendipity, we who foot the bills for public officials injured on the job can be grateful today that, when it came to government buildings in Pasco County in the latter half of the previous century, architects preferred low profiles to high-rises. ...more

January 31, 2008

The county and state fairs don't begin until next month, but local students have been working for months to get their steers, hogs, heifers, goats and rabbits ready for competition. ...more

January 13, 2008