- This page was last modified on 12 June 2025, at 21:51. Suggest an edit.
Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition facts for kids
The Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Exposition Inc., often called The Youth Fair or just The Fair, is a huge event in South Florida. It's a special kind of event because it's a nonprofit charity, meaning it helps the community and doesn't aim to make money for owners. Nearly 600,000 people visit it each year!
The Fair lasts for 21 days and is packed with fun. You can find exhibits about farming and education, exciting rides, live concerts, yummy carnival food, and games. It's a great place for families to have fun together. The Fair has been held at Tamiami Park in Miami, Florida, since 1972. You can find it at SW 107th Ave. and Coral Way.
The Miami-Dade Youth Fair is the biggest fair in Florida. It's also one of the top 30 largest events of its kind in all of North America! A group of 16 people helps run the Fair. Besides hosting the big fair for about four weeks each spring, the Fairgrounds also has an Expo Center. This center is used for about 70 other shows and events throughout the rest of the year.
In 2021, The Youth Fair was open from November 18th to December 5th. It was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (November 22-23 and November 28-29). Sadly, the 2020 Fair had to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fun at The Fair
One of the best parts of The Youth Fair is the entertainment! All the concerts are free once you've paid to get into the Fair. Many famous artists and groups have performed on the Mainstreet Stage over the years.
For example, in 2018, groups like Gente de Zona and TLC performed. In 2017, you could see Skillet and Jacob Forever. The 2016 Fair featured artists like Village People and Oscar D'Leon. In 2015, Kool & The Gang brought their hits to the stage. The Fair also had music from the '90s in 2014 and popular acts like Kidz Bop in 2013. In 2011, there were performances by Chino Y Nacho, Luis Enrique, and even WWE Wrestling stars!
What You'll See at The Fair
The Youth Fair has lots of different things to see and do. There are special exhibits where students can show off their projects. You can also learn about agriculture (farming) through various displays. Of course, there's plenty of family entertainment, delicious food stands, and shops.
The "Midway" is where all the exciting rides are! There are nearly 100 different rides to choose from, provided by North American Midway Entertainment. Some of the popular rides include:
- 1001 Nachts
- House of Horror
- Airplane
- Ring of Fire
- Skater
- SpaceRoller
- Swing Tower
- Remix
- Fireball
- Ferris Wheel
- Spider
- Tilt
- Yoyo
- Pharaoh's Fury
Helping Students
The Youth Fair isn't just about fun; it also helps students in the Miami-Dade community. Since it started, the Fair has given over $11 million to students. This money comes in the form of college scholarships, cash prizes, and other awards.
In 2018, the Fair's Scholarship Program gave out 182 scholarships, each worth $1,000. These scholarships went to high school seniors graduating from public, private, home, and charter schools in Miami-Dade County. Sixteen of these students were planning to study careers related to farming.
The Youth Fair also helps fund scholarships for students who win the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. This contest is for high school juniors and seniors in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
The Fair's Location
In 2013, there were talks about possibly moving The Youth Fair. This idea came up because Florida International University (FIU) wanted to expand its campus. The Youth Fair has an agreement with Miami-Dade County about its current location. This agreement includes a way for the Fair to move early if a new, equally good location is found.
If FIU can raise enough money (over $230 million) to cover the cost of moving the Fair and buying new land, then the Fair would get a three-year notice before having to move. However, any move like this is still many years away, if it happens at all.