Flavors Of Our Fair Planned At Manatee County Fairgrounds
PALMETTO, FL — When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, many county fairs nationwide were canceled. This “completely shut down the fair industry,” said Danny Alfonso, manager of the Manatee River Fair Association Arena. “And often those forgotten are the fair (food) vendors.”
To support these vendors, Manatee County Fair has organized a special event, Flavors of Our Fair. Staff has invited several to sell their food at the arena, which is located at 1402 14th Ave. W. in Palmetto, Friday through Sunday.
Participating vendors include the Manatee Sunrise Kiwanis Famous Corn Dogs, Old Fashioned Sugar Waffles, TBA Concessions selling cotton candy and candy apples, Barb Wilson Enterprises’ pizza trailer, Libby’s Ice Cream, and Frazier Fair Foods offering sirloin steak tips and potatoes.
This is a drive-through and walk-up event with numerous safety protocols in place. Attendees can take their food to go or eat at tables set up in the arena. There will be social distancing requirements and masks are a must when social distancing isn’t possible.
It wasn’t long after last January’s Manatee County Fair that the pandemic devastated the industry, Alfonso said. “After we got through our fair, vendors have what they call a route. They go from one state to the next from fair to fair, that’s what they do for a living.”
One by one, these county and state fairs were canceled, leaving concessionaires with no income. Though they’re frequently on the road, many of these vendors consider Florida their home base, Alfonso said. Those invited to participate at this weekend’s event have previously served food at the Manatee County Fair.
“These vendors have been part of our fair,” he said. “The ones we’re trying to help out have been part of our fair for years. These are our same vendors that come to our fair each and every year.”
All proceeds go directly to these vendors. There’s no entry or parking fees, either, he said. “This event is all about helping our fair industry. No money is coming to us.”
Plans are under way for the 2021 Manatee County Fair, set for Jan. 14-24, Alfonso said. “We have multiple plans in place. There are 11 committees it takes to put on our fair. All have been challenged to address any and all safety aspects that it takes to put this on safely. The safety of our guests and exhibitors is a vital part of our planning process.”
This year, they’re working closely with the Manatee County Health Department, as well as county officials. Anything could happen by the time the fair comes around, Alfonso said. “Right now, we’re planning the fair, but it’s all dependent on where we are in January. That’s why there are multiple contingency plans in place.”
There are some changes in the works, including the dates of the dog and horse shows, which will take place the weekend before the fair opens. Also, how they organize the livestock will be different, he said. To reduce the number of exhibitors in the barn, there will be only one type of animal shown at a time. This will rotate every three days.
In the meantime, he hopes people come to Flavors of Our Fair to support the food vendors.
“It’s an industry that’s been hit very hard and with the uncertainty of COVID, it’s not like they’re through the woods yet,” Alfonso said. “They’re still in the middle of it not knowing how many fairs they might cancel next year.”
Attend Flavors of Our Fair
Where: Manatee River Fair Association Arena, 1402 14th Ave. W., Palmetto
When: Friday, Oct. 23, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Entry Fee: None
Parking Fee: None
Learn More: Manatee County Fair Facebook page
This article originally appeared on the Bradenton Patch
