PALMETTO— The Manatee County Fair returns Jan. 11 - 21, 2024. Fairgoers can purchase admission tickets online for the first time in the fair’s 108-year history.
Daily admission and parking prices are unchanged from recent years with adults 13 and older, $10; active duty military, $6; children ages 6-12, $6. Children 5 and under are admitted free. Parking near the Fair is available in several locations for $10.
Adult tickets can be purchased at a $1.50 discount per person online at www.manateecountyfair.com and by clicking on the “Buy Tickets” button at the top of the page. (An individual ticket price is $8 and a 50-cent-per-ticket fee is added at checkout.)
“Online ticket sales to avoid lines and save time is something people have asked for, and now we’re happy to deliver that service,” said Danny Alfonso, fair manager. “A lot of other attractions around Florida have raised ticket prices to the point that they’re unaffordable for families to attend. We’re proud to have kept ticket prices steady for many years, and now if you purchase online you can actually save money on admission.”
The Fair begins Thursday, Jan. 11 when gates open at 5 p.m. Daily hours are listed on the Fair’s website. This year’s Fair theme is “Fun is in the Air at the Manatee County Fair.”
In other news, four queens were crowned at the Miss Manatee County Fair Pageant Saturday at Palmetto High School as the 2024 fair season got underway. Pageant winners (photo here) are:
Mini Miss (ages 7 - 9) Saige VanHyning
Little Miss (ages 10 - 12) Maci Osment
Junior Miss (ages 13-16) Anna Radojcsics
Miss Manatee County Fair Queen (ages 17-22) Ally Carpenter
Winners received a Manatee County Fair Queen crown, banner sash, trophy and flowers. Miss Carpenter also received a $1,000 scholarship award. The Fair Pageant was sponsored by Arctic Air.
Each year more than 100,000 people attend the County Fair making it one of Manatee County’s most popular annual events. The 2024 Fair is packed with fun activities for families of all ages including livestock shows, a petting zoo, camel rides, a one-man band, circus performers, pig racing, blacksmith demonstrations and more.
Fans will also love the main stage entertainment lineup:
Thursday, Jan. 11 hometown bluegrass band Highway 41 South plays at 7 & 9 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 12 at 7 & 9 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 13 at 3, 6 & 8 p.m. country and gospel’s Carolina the Band will perform.
On Sunday, Jan. 14 Bayside Worship opens at 6:30 p.m. before contemporary Christian artist Micah Tyler takes the stage at 7:30 p.m.
The 301 Travelers bring their rocking country sound on both Monday, Jan. 15 at 3, 5 & 9 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 3, 5 & 7 p.m.
Tom Petty tribute band The Petty Hearts play on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Nashville’s own Rockland Road takes the main stage on Friday, Jan. 19 at 7 & 9 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 3, 6 & 9 p.m.
To learn more about the 2024 Manatee County Fair, visit www.manateecountyfair.com
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