FROM THE TAMPA TRIBUNE--

Crews Prepping For Thursday's Opening Of State Fair

TBO.com
Published: February 3, 2009

TAMPA - It takes eight hours to brace, bolt and unfold the complicated extensions of the Landslide ride and workers today had just started in the chilly wind sweeping the midway at the Florida State Fairgrounds.
"We've got a long way to go," said Mike Huntsman of Gibsonton.
Nearby, James Johnson was much further along in the 11-hour job of setting up the swings for the Dream Machine ride, one of 90 at the fair.
"We're pretty much done. We came a week early to start," he said as he tightened bolts.
Across the midway, workers hustled to ready rides and games for Thursday's opening of the Florida State Fair and its dozen-day run.
The opening ceremony is set for 11 a.m. at the Bud Light Dome and it promises to be a day for warm clothing. The National Weather Service forecast calls for a temperature of 45 degrees at the opening, with a 10 mph wind making it feel like 40 degrees.
Along with the midway rides, games and food, the fair is adding several attractions this year, including a 9,000-gallon shark tank where a diver will swim with the sharks and provide facts and fiction about the creatures. Shows are at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. daily.
Also this year will be the debut of La Plaza Hispanic Village Cultural Expo. Open each day of the fair, it will have Spanish food, exhibits and entertainment.
Another new event is the Florida Ranch Rodeo at 2 and 7 p.m. Feb. 11 and 12, which will feature wild cow milking, stampede races and bronco riding.
And the Jack Russell terrier races will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday.
In addition to the new events, there will be the Elvis impersonator national finals with multiple shows Feb. 14 and 15 and the state roller derby championship from noon to 8 p.m. Feb. 16, the final day of the fair.

CLICK ON POST TITLE FOR FAIR INFORMATION