Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair is just one day away
The Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair opens Thursday night with a specially priced Sneak Peek starting at 5 p.m. Fairgoers will enjoy many other promotions and specials throughout the course of the fair’s 11-day run.
Right now the countdown clock continues to tick as we inch closer to the opening of this fantastic southwest Florida tradition. Great family entertainment, food, fun and educational experiences will once again be a part of the Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair. The fair that’s been “Making Memories Since 1924” is ready to bring great rides, the best and biggest livestock events ever, and a spectacular range of shows and demonstrations to the fairgrounds.
Admission for the special Sneak Peek on Thursday, February 26 is just $15 for admission and rides from 5 p.m. until close. The gates will open again on Friday, February 27 at 5 p.m., with free admission and rides until 6 p.m. Regular admission of $8 for adults and $5 for children then applies until the start of the hugely popular Moonlight Madness at 9 p.m., when admission and unlimited rides until 2 a.m. make for a memorable Friday night for just $25. Gates open at noon on Saturday, February 28 and Sunday, March 1. A printable brochure detailing special events and the fair schedule is available at swflcfair.com and contains coupons to save on admission and rides on select days during the fair’s 11-day run.
Monday is always Harry Chapin Food Bank Night – just another way the fair, itself a 501(c)3 charitable organization, gives back. Starting at 5 p.m. on March 2, three canned food items cover your admission. Without a donation, regular admission of $8 per adult and $6 per child applies, but will be re-donated to Harry Chapin to feed the hungry in our community.
Tuesday is $12 Buck Tuesday with gates opening at 5 p.m. On Wednesday, March 4, the fair will hold its Seniors/Veterans Day from noon to 6 p.m., offering a special lineup of entertainment including two performances from the musical sensation, Joey Dee and the Starliters. Seniors and veterans will enjoy discounted admission of only $5. Also, a printable coupon is available, which drops admission for our seniors and vets to just $3. Health screenings and information booths from healthcare providers, the VA, and more will also be available inside the Lee Civic Center, located on the Fairgrounds. Something else new this year is our $2 Thursday – $2 gate admission and $2 per ride!
Lots of great community exhibits can be found in the Creative Living Department, including quilt exhibits, Master Gardeners’ demonstrations, a butterfly demonstration and exhibit by international expert Nick Boden and much more! Goat agility contests will bring a smile to young and old, and local students and 4-H members will show off their projects. New this year at the fair, guests will be able to make crafts free of charge at the “Make & Take Tables” and bring them home. There are new categories such as the Glue a Shoe Contest.
Thrill seekers will love old time favorites as well as some new exciting rides that Reithoffer Shows has to offer. The Air Race is bound to be a new favorite. Free entertainment includes the always popular Eudora Petting Zoo, containing over 40 animals, 15 of which are rare and exotic species from around the world; the Grizzly Experience brings visitors in close contact with a 700-pound grizzly bear named Tonk and a pair of adorable cubs, Yogi and Boo Boo, and new this year is the Pirates of the Colombian Caribbean, a High Wire Thrill Show, and the Banana Derby.
Be sure to check out the Livestock Department with over 300 Exhibitors showing their animals. These exhibitors learn everything from record keeping to showing and grooming. There are even competitions in these categories. For a little extra fun there’s even a tractor-driving contest for our exhibitors. Rabbits, chickens and horses will all be judged for show. These are just a few of the many agricultural events that are the heart of this nearly century-old fair. The 4-H program is about raising champion kids – not just champion animals.
About the Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair
Held on the grounds of the Lee County Civic Center, located on Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers, the Fair is dedicated to promoting agricultural, horticultural, creative arts, and educational opportunities while providing quality entertainment for the citizens of the area. The Fair is recognized as a 501(C)3 non-profit educational organization by the federal government and the State of Florida. The Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair Association is chartered under Florida State Statues Chapter 616 as a District Fair serving Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry and Lee Counties. For more information visit www.swflcfair.com.