TAMPA, Fla. — The 117-year-old Florida State Fair has returned to the Florida State Fairgrounds, but this year's tradition comes with a new cost that has some visitors questioning the added expense.
For the first time in the fair's history, visitors must pay $15 to park on-site, a fee that can be reduced to $10 if purchased online or at local Walgreens locations ahead of time.
"This is the first time we've had to pay to park," said Rick Swim, who has attended the fair for the past 10 years without missing a single year. "Why bleed the common man out of everything they have? Stop being so greedy."
WATCH: Florida State Fair returns, adds new parking fees ahead of 2026 fair
Swim said he was unaware of the parking fee before arriving at the fairgrounds.
For families, the costs can add up quickly. Dan and Rochelle Marshall brought their two sons, Teddy and Cal, to the fair. Their total expenses included $50 for tickets, $75 for three armbands at $25 each, and the $15 parking fee, which they did not purchase in advance.
But despite the additional cost, Marshall wasn't deterred from bringing her children to experience the tradition she had known her whole life.
"It feels like it's always $15 to park anywhere you go, especially since we live in downtown St. Pete, so there it's always $15 to $20 if you want to park," said Marshall.
Fair officials explained that the new parking charge helps fund increased security measures and additional parking attendants, which are particularly important as more visitors are expected this year for America's 250th birthday celebration.
"You'll see it in the safety measures. You'll see when you enter the parking lot. We've got a lot more staff directing traffic as well as on-site, inside the grounds to ensure people have a better ease in and out of the property," said Cheryl Moore, CEO of the Florida State Fair.
"When you have 50,000 people coming on property for the day, you want people to get on here safely, and that's part of the measure to ensure we get people on property," the official said.
To help offset the parking fee increase, the fair is offering various deals, including $5 Fridays, where both parking and admission cost $5 each. Additional promotions and deals are available on the fair's website.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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