BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
The theme for the 72nd annual Bradford Agricultural Fair is “Your Field of Dreams,” and Manager Dale Woodruff has already had one dream come true.
“Onward and upward, and no COVID restrictions this year,” Woodruff said.
Last year’s fair took social distancing into account as booths were spaced farther apart (which also decreased the number of booths that could be set up) and establishing a limit as to how many people could be inside the livestock arena for shows and auctions as well as how many people could be in a booth at one time.
Those restrictions are gone for this year’s fair, which begins Tuesday, March 8, and runs through Sunday, March 13.
It’s back to normal in 2022. Sort of.
As it turns out, COVID-19 is still having an impact as Building 3 is currently being utilized by the Bradford County Health Department for testing and vaccinations.
“The biggest change this year is going to be that Building 3 will not be used for exiting to the midway,” Woodruff said, adding, “Before you get to Building 3 (from Building 2), there’s a hallway. That will go left out onto the midway.”
With Building 3 unavailable for the fair’s use, the 4-H, arts and crafts and home-division exhibits will be displayed in Building 2.
Another change is that the 4-H and FFA swine and steer awards and sales will be combined events. The combined auction will take place Friday, March 11, at 5 p.m., with the combined awards presentation is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 12.
In the past the swine awards and sale took place on Friday, while the steer awards and sale took place on Saturday.
Other scheduled animal events include:
—Bradford-Union Goat Show, Saturday, March 5, 10:30 a.m.
—4-H and FFA swine show, Tuesday, March 8, 6:30 p.m.
—4-H and FFA steer show and showmanship contest, Wednesday, March 9, 6 p.m.
—Bradford-Union Cattlemen Association 4-H and FFA beef breed show, Thursday, March 10, 6 p.m.
The fair opens at 5 p.m. March 8-1, 2 p.m. on March 12 and 1 p.m. on March 13.
The exhibit areas, which are open March 8-12, close at 10 p.m. each night.
Midway closing times are determined nightly by Deggeller Attractions.
General admission, which doesn’t cover the cost of rides, is $7 for adults and $6 for students. Children under 4 are admitted free.
Opening night (Tuesday, March 8) is Veterans Appreciation Night, with free admission for those with a military ID. It’s also American Pride Night, so wear your red, white and blue.
Admission on Sunday, March 13, when the midway only is open, is $5. Non-riders under 3 are admitted free.
Weekly admission passes are available for $30 each and may be purchased in advance until Monday, March 7, at the fair ticket office in Building 1, Community State Bank’s Starke and Lake Butler branches, North Florida Regional Chamber of Commerce and Lawtey’s city hall.
Deggeller Attractions returns to provide the midway entertainment, which consists of 25-30 rides.
“I have made a request of Deggeller for a couple of rides for older kids,” Woodruff said. “It goes back to the same thing (every year). The attendance at the fair dictates the rides that can be brought in.
A common complaint Woodruff hears each year is that most of the rides are for young children, but he said reality is that the majority of the midway visitors are young children.
Woodruff said people want to compare the Bradford fair to the one in Clay County in regard to the ride offerings, but he said that’s not an apples-to-apples comparison. Hundreds of thousands attend the Clay fair, he said, while the Bradford fair draws less than 50,000.
People who plan to enjoy the rides are encouraged by Woodruff to purchase $15 unlimited-ride armband coupons in advance at Community State Bank’s Starke and Lake Butler locations, North Florida Regional Chamber of Commerce and Lawtey’s city hall. The armbands cost less when purchasing in advance as opposed to buying them on the midway, with the exception of opening night (when they’re $12 on the midway) and Sunday, March 13, when they’re available on the midway for the same price. An advance purchase represents a savings of $7-$10 if you’re planning to go on Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12.
Advance armband coupons, which can’t be used in conjunction with Buddy Night (Thursday, March 10), are available until Monday, March 7. Only one coupon can be redeemed per night.
Unlimited-ride armbands can be purchased on the midway for $12 on opening night and for $18 March 9-10. You can purchase two for a total of $25 on March 10, which is Buddy Night. Both “buddies” must be present at time of purchase.
Ride armbands are $22 on Friday, March 11, $25 on Saturday, March 12, and $15 on Sunday, March 13.
Ride tickets are available for purchase on the midway for $1 each, with each ride requiring 2-6 tickets.
For more information, visit bradfordcountyfair.com, or call 904-964-5252.
