Food, The Frugalista Life

Florida State Fair named on Yelp’s Top State Fairs for Festival Foods

by Alexandria Ebron

State fair season is almost here and most of us (us meaning me TBH) are really there for the food. Whether it’s the latest deep-fried invention or a classic bucket of warm cookies, state fairs are some of the most exciting summer food destinations. Our beloved Florida State Fair made it to the top 10 of the ranking of top state fairs for festival foods.

To find out which fairs are doing it best, Yelp reviewers ranked every over-the-top bite. The top 10 fairs earned more than 2,500 Yelp reviews with 81% specifically calling out the food, which proves that corn dogs, cheese curds, and fried favorites are the highlight of many people’s visits to the fair. 

I was happy to see the Florida State Fair listed in the top 10. I’ve been several times and the food vendors keep their ideas fresh annually. Some I wonder about whose idea it was for the creation while others leave me pleasantly surprised. The trends at the state fairs don’t surprise me at all either: food on a stick and anything deep-fried reign supreme.

Here’s what Yelp and its reviewers had to say about the Florida State Fair:

The Florida State Fair showcases Southern comfort food and Sunshine State specialties. Cuban sandwiches and gator bites reflect Florida’s unique food culture, while classic fair foods get tropical twists, like key lime funnel cakes and Florida orange sweet tea. And the best part? The Florida fair is held in February, which means you can enjoy fair food in balmy weather while the rest of the country is bundled up.

Yelpers say: “The Florida State Fair is here! And so is all the good fair food. Donuts from Peachey’s are a must. They are light and airy and have the best glaze. Had to try the new Spam grilled cheese, not my favorite but I like to try something new each year. Fried Oreos and lemonade are fair classics, can’t go wrong with these. The steak sundae is nice and salty in contrast to all those sweets.” —Yelp Elite Jen C. 

You can read the rest of the state fair rankings and what reviewers had to say here.