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Hillsborough County Fair opens in Dover

Tribune photo by YVETTE C. HAMMETT

Brenna Sturgis, 5, accompanied by Darby Hastings, 13, both of Plant City, competed in the Peewee Sheep Show during opening night at the Hillsborough County Fair.

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BY YVETTE C. HAMMETT

yhammett@tampatrib.com

Published: November 4, 2009

DOVER - The tents are going up, landscaping going in and numerous community groups are preparing for another Hillsborough County Fair, opening today and running through Sunday.

"As usual, it will run with our policy of dynamic, affordable entertainment, shows and exhibits with $5 adult admission and no charge for youngsters ages 8 and under," said fair Chairman Tom Umiker.

Free onsite parking is plentiful on the 80-acre county-owned site at State Road 60 and Sydney-Washer Road.

The five-day event will run from 5 to 10 p.m. today and Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon until 10 p.m. Sunday. The fair, first organized in 1993, is a volunteer-driven, family tradition that drew more than 25,000 people from all over the county last year.

Umiker said the fair's new location provides fast and easy access from the tri-county area. Major roads and interstate highways to the east and west include the Selmon Crosstown Expressway, Interstate 75, Interstate 4, U.S. 301 and State Road 574, which are no more than 10 minutes from the fair's site.

"Visitors can have a great time with friends and family without juggling budgets, and there are lots of discount and free days listed on our Web site at www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com," Umiker said. As always, active military and uniformed first-responders will have free fair admission. "It's our small way of showing appreciation for their sacrifice and service."

The agenda of contests range from cooking and crafts to horticulture and agriculture, as well as livestock shows and the Harvest Queen Pageant for Babies and Children.

Pageant participants can sign up right until the event, said coordinator Evelyn Stewart. The entry fee is $40 and an additional $20 for photogenic and $15 for the optional sportswear category. Call (813) 968-1441 for more information.

The Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association will host its plant auction on Saturday at 1 p.m. Landscape shrubs, trees, flowering plants and herbs, garden supplies and more are available. Proceeds go to the Youth Ornamental Horticulture activities and scholarships.

Along with a full midway, popular carnival and side shows, an emphasis is placed on the rich traditions of organizations such as 4-H, schools, the Pony Clubs and others whose competitive passions range from animals and agriculture to the environment and the arts.

Cowboys from a wide region will saddle up and stage a two-day wild-ride rodeo in the new, 1,800-seat grandstand, which also is the venue for the dazzling, two-night Battle of the Bands.

"We've added two youth horse shows and a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Posse expo to our lineup this year, also staged in our new arena," Umiker said.

See the fair Web site for a complete fair lineup.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 627-4763.

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