The Adventure Begins Thursday, March 15th
The Miami-Dade County Youth Fair and Exposition is back for its 67th year! The adventure begins Thursday, March 15th – Sunday, April 8th, except for March 19- 20 and April 2- 3. The Youth Fair & Expo will provide 21 days of all-new surprises as well as breathtaking amusement rides, one-of-a-kind unique and delicious foods, live entertainment, concerts, agricultural & academic student exhibits and much more!
LIVE CONCERTS & PERFORMANCES
- Friday, March 16th, 8 p.m. – La Adictiva Banda San José de Mesillas & La Maquinaria Norteña
- Saturday, March 17th, 8 p.m. – Ginuwine & Sugarhill Gang
- Saturday, March 24th, 8 p.m. – Lecrae
- Saturday, March 31st, 8 p.m. – Gente De Zona
- Friday, April 6th, 8 p.m. – TLC
- Saturday, April 7th, 8 p.m. – Nelly
ALL 21-DAY ENTERTAINMENT
- Ethiopian Dancers – NEW
- Walking Tree of Life – NEW
- Kazual – NEW
- Sudsy’s Barn – NEW
- Carnaval on Ice – NEW
- RoboCars
- The Fritters
- Light Up the Night Robots
- Royal Hanneford Circus
- Sandscapes Sand Sculpture
- Show-Me Safari Petting Zoo and Pony Rides
- Show Me Safari Pig Races
- Tadpole & Katie the Clowns
SPECIAL EVENTS
- Monday – Friday, 5 p.m. – Local Marching Bands will perform for fairgoers at the Main Gate Plaza and through Arnold Hall.
- Saturdays, 6 – 10 p.m. Enjoy Karaoke every Saturday at The MarketPlace.
- Thursday, March 15th thru Thursday, March 22nd – WaterVentures is a state of the art, interactive, mobile learning lab featuring enriching and engaging activities that offer a hands-on look at Florida’s diverse watersheds, water conservation and recycling. The centerpiece of WaterVentures is a 53-foot tractor-trailer that has been transformed into a science learning lab on wheels with interactive activities. With a dynamic staff of trained educators, the truck travels across Florida visiting schools, communities and events.
- Friday, March 23rd, 8 p.m. – Foodie Award Presentation at the Sedano’s Kitchen inside Arnold Hall
- Friday, March 30th, 7 p.m. – Battle of the DJ’s hosted by DJ Laz at Main Street Stage
- Sunday, April 1st, 12 p.m. – Hunt for eggs at the Easter Eggstravaganza at the fairgrounds! Easter Eggs filled with treats will be hidden throughout The Youth Fair and are up for grabs. Find the Easter Eggs and then come meet the Easter Bunny to have a photo taken with him from 1 – 3 PM.
- Sunday, April 1st, 4 p.m. – The Easter Sunday Parade starts by the Pig Races and ends at The Garden! Don’t miss your chance to see your favorite strolling performers and check out the food vendors’ creatively decorated golf carts make their way around the fairgrounds.
HOWDY’S BARNYARD
- Goat Mountain– Fairgoers will have an opportunity to watch 20 goats jump, bump and play.
- Piglet Playpen – Fairgoers will be able to watch six piglets take mud baths and play.
- What’s the Buzz? – An educational display that helps fairgoers understand all there is to know about bees and their importance in today’s agriculture operations.
- Milking Station– A unique opportunity to view first-hand how dairy cows are milked.
- Study’s Barn – A one of a kind hand-wash station promoting clean hands nationwide. Simply put, it makes washing your hands FUN!
- Howdy– If you can’t get enough of the Barnyard fun, The Youth Fair’s lovable Howdy will be strolling through The Barn on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 5-8 p.m. on March 17, 18, 23, 24 30, 31 and April 7, 8.
FIELD TRIPS
- Friday, March 16, 9 a.m. -1 p.m. – Pre-School, Kindergarten & Grades 1-2, All Regions
- Wednesday, March 21, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Middle School Grades 6-8, Central Region
- Thursday, March 22, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Middle School Grades 6-8, North and South Regions
- Thursday, April 5, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Elementary Grades 3-5, All Regions
- Friday, April 6, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Exceptional Students (Those with special needs), All Regions
FREE ADMISSION
- 5 AND UNDER – Youngsters 5 and under are admitted FREE every day, all day. Proof of age may be required.
- 65 AND BETTER – Seniors 65 years of age and better are admitted FREE every day, all day. Proof of age may be required.
- FREE STUDENT ADMISSION TICKET – Each student in Miami-Dade County received a free student admission ticket for select days of the 2018 Youth Fair. The Youth Fair distributed these tickets to public, private, parochial, charter and home schools. Valid Mondays through Fridays. Ticket is required.
- BOYS AND GIRL SCOUTS’ DAY – Boy and Girl Scouts wearing their uniform receive FREE admission on Monday, March 26th. Coupon is not required.
- FIU STUDENT & EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY – Any current student or employee who brings his/her current FIU ID to any of the turnstiles receives FREE admission on Wednesday, March 21st.
- MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY – Active and retired military personnel receive FREE admission with presentation of valid I.D. on Opening Day and every Wednesday.
- FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION DAY – Police and Fire Rescue personnel receive FREE admission with presentation of valid I.D. on Opening Day and every Wednesday.
OPENING DAY OFFERS (VALID ONLY ON MARCH 15TH)
- $7.00 GENERAL ADMISSION – Pay $7.00 for general admission all day on Opening Day. Coupon is not required.
- MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY – Active and retired military personnel receive FREE admission with presentation of valid I.D. on Opening Day and every Wednesday.
- FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION DAY – Police and Fire Rescue personnel receive FREE admission with presentation of valid I.D. on Opening Day and every Wednesday.
PARKING AND GENERAL TRANSPORTATION
- GENERAL PARKING – Save 50% on parking. Only $5 when you purchase online only by 3/14 or $8 when you purchase online only between 3/15-4/8. Parking can be paid day of visit at the fairgrounds with cash, credit or debit cards for $10 starting on March 15th. Discounted parking passes may be purchased at www.fairexpo.com only.
- COURTESY TRAMS – All-new trams with continuous service will transport guests to and from the Main Gate Entrance and the parking lots inside Tamiami Park.
- UBER, LYFT, TAXI, MIAMI-DADE TRANSIT – Guests arriving via Uber, Lyft, Taxi, Miami-Dade Transit or being dropped off by private vehicle can enter at Gate #7 at SW 17 Street and 107 Avenue.
For guest parking, enter through SW 112 Avenue & Coral Way, SW 114 Avenue & Coral Way, SW 117 Avenue & 22 Street or SW 117 Avenue & 21 Street.
For pedestrian drop-off, take Coral Way (SW 24 Street) & 109 Avenue (Gate #2) on weekends after 2 p.m.
AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITS: THE BARN AND THE GARDEN
So much more than just plants and animals, the Youth Agricultural Division allows exhibitors to showcase and apply what they’ve learned in school and beyond. Fairgoers are given the chance to ask the questions they’ve always wanted to ask, such as maintenance, or how the animal is groomed to how much that 1,200-pound steer may eat in any given day. Visit the goats, steer, swine, horses, chickens, bunnies and many other animals at The Barn. Fairgoers will be able to enjoy equestrian competitions, including three days of Ranch Sorting competitions with participants from all over the U.S. In addition to The Barn, The Garden will be an area that immerses the fairgoer where he/she will be able to enjoy the many and varied products of the Miami-Dade County horticulture industry and check out competitive landscaping student entries. This will also serve as an additional destination within the Youth Fair where fairgoers can relax and have a pleasant time.
FOOD & RIDES
The 2018 Miami Youth Fair is featuring nearly 100 exciting rides and 41 games, including the four NEW rides; the Hard Rock, Hyper Loop, Wiggle Worm and Frog Hopper. Plus, fairgoers will be able to enjoy food from more than 175 food concessions featuring delicious new foods such as Flaming Hot Cheeto Corn, Alligator Bites, Waffle Bombs, Hand-Crafted Glazed Donuts, Raspberry Crème Funnel Cake and much more! Make sure not to miss The Youth Fair’s 100 sponsors/business exhibitors.
MAGIC MONEY WRISTBANDS
Once again, The Miami Youth Fair & Exposition will offer a better way to play and pay with Magic Money Wristbands. This technology enhances the fairgoer’s experience by providing paperless ticketing to Youth Fair guests. Digital tickets are electronically loaded onto a wristband equipped with a small chip allowing guests to access rides, games, food, beverages and concert seats by simply scanning their wristband. Guests can register the wristband using the Magic Money App to get digital rewards and coupons for great savings. The Magic Money wristband is also used for guest admission and unlimited rides. There will be more than 50 state-of-the-art reloading stations and kiosks or ticket booths throughout the fairgrounds. As well, guests may add additional Digital Tickets to their Magic Money wristband online at www.magicmoney.com.
Adventure awaits as the 2018 Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Exposition will take place at Tamiami Park on SW 107 Avenue & Coral Way, its home since 1972, from March 15 thru April 8, 2018, except March 19 & 20 and April 2 & 3. Youngsters 5 and under & seniors 65 and better enter free every day, all day. Parking is only $5.00 when purchased online only by March 14th, $8 when purchased online only between March 15 and April 8 and $10.00 starting on March 15th at the fairgrounds. To pre-purchase discounted parking passes, visit www.fairexpo.com.
The Youth Fair & Exposition offers many amenities for families including stroller and wheelchair rental, lost and found, paved walkways, convenient sitting areas, lush landscaping, restroom and diaper changing facilities and more. Premiere Sponsors include Coca-Cola®, the South Florida Ford dealers and Sedano’s Supermarkets. For more information, visit www.fairexpo.com or call (305) 223-7060.
