Eleven nights in January, a free opening night, and a petting zoo people are still raving about months later. Here's everything you need for the 2027 fair.
If you grew up here, the fair is a January habit. The only real question is which night. For 2027, the Manatee County Fair runs January 14 to 24 at the fairgrounds on 14th Avenue West in Palmetto, and the right night depends on what you're after: a free gate on opening night, free kids' hours on MLK Day, $6 Senior Day, or a $25 ride armband on a quiet weeknight.
Here are the hours for every day, what it costs, and what people who went last year say is worth your time.
When is the 2027 Manatee County Fair?
The fair opens Thursday, January 14, 2027, and closes Sunday, January 24. Most weekday gates open at 5 p.m., while weekend, holiday, and Senior Day gates open at noon, and the midway stays open until 11:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Thu., Jan. 14 (Opening Day): Gates 5-10 p.m.; midway 5-10 p.m.; armband $25
Fri., Jan. 15: Gates 5-10 p.m.; midway 5-11:30 p.m.; armband $30
Sat., Jan. 16: Gates noon-10 p.m.; midway noon-11:30 p.m.; armband $30
Sun., Jan. 17: Gates noon-10 p.m.; midway noon-10 p.m.; armband $30
Mon., Jan. 18 (MLK Day, Kids Day): Gates noon-10 p.m.; midway noon-10 p.m.; armband $30
Tue., Jan. 19: Gates 5-10 p.m.; midway 5-10 p.m.; armband $25
Wed., Jan. 20 (Senior Day): Gates noon-10 p.m.; midway 3-10 p.m.; armband $25
Thu., Jan. 21: Gates 5-10 p.m.; midway 5-10 p.m.; armband $25
Fri., Jan. 22: Gates 5-10 p.m.; midway 5-11:30 p.m.; armband $30
Sat., Jan. 23: Gates noon-10 p.m.; midway noon-11:30 p.m.; armband $30
Sun., Jan. 24 (closing day): Gates noon-7 p.m.; midway noon-7 p.m.; armband $30
The exhibit buildings keep the same hours as the gates.
How much are tickets, parking, and ride armbands?
Daily admission is $10 for adults 13 and up and $6 for kids 6 to 12, while active military with ID also pay $6 and kids 5 and under get in free. Parking is another $10.
Ride armbands cover unlimited rides for the day. They're $25 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights and $30 Friday through Monday. If rides are the main event, a weeknight armband saves $5.
Two tips from last year's reviews: hit the rides early in the day before the lines build, and bring a few dollars in cash for animal feed at the petting zoo.
Which days are free or discounted?
Opening Day, Thursday, Jan. 14, 5-10 p.m.: Free gate for everyone, sponsored by Palmetto Build and Detwiler's Farm Market. Bring a canned good for the Food Bank of Manatee.
Kids Day, Monday, Jan. 18, noon-3 p.m.: All children and students with a school ID get in free, courtesy of Woodruff & Sons Inc. It falls on MLK Day, so most kids are out of school.
Senior Day, Wednesday, Jan. 20, noon-10 p.m.: Senior admission drops to $6.
Free gate doesn't mean free rides: armbands cost the same on all three days.
What's worth your time, according to the people who went
The petting zoo is the surprise favorite. Reviews from the 2026 fair keep coming back to it: baby monkeys, a kangaroo you can hold, and staff who are polite and helpful with kids. More than one reviewer called it the best part of the day.
The food rewards a little scouting. Strawberry shortcake, steak tips, and corn dogs show up again and again, and one regular's advice holds: the food is great "if you find the right spots." The tip that keeps coming up is the cookie kitchen in the Arts & Crafts building.
The livestock barns are the fair's real roots. Walk through and you'll see the animals local kids have raised all year for 4-H and FFA, plus livestock judging in the arena. One reviewer called the arena clean, with plenty of room.
The rides are solid, not huge. Reviewers say there's a good spread of rides for kids. A few adults wished for more big rides, so set expectations if you've got thrill-seeking teenagers.
The midway shares the fairgrounds with arts and crafts, exhibit halls, pageants, and daily shows. Last year's Senior Day crowd caught Cowboy Circle, the Jurassic Kingdom Dinosaur Show, and the Barnyard Cackle Review. The 2027 entertainment lineup hasn't been posted yet, though the Miss Manatee County Fair and Baby pageants are both on the schedule.
How old is the Manatee County Fair?
The first fair opened February 28, 1916. The county's Board of Trade approved it the fall before and timed it to land just ahead of Tampa's South Florida Fair and Gasparilla.
The fair went dark during World War II and came back in 1951, the same year the fairgrounds got their first exhibit building, named for county commission chairman J. P. Harllee Sr. The record crowd, 116,565, came through in 1990, and attendance still averages around 100,000 a year. In 2009, the older halls came down to make room for the 18,000-square-foot Veterans Hall.
It's run by the Manatee River Fair Association, a nonprofit with a 37-member volunteer board. It's also a registered agricultural fair with the state, and the livestock shows are still the heart of it.
What else is happening fair week?
The fair overlaps with two of Palmetto's biggest weekends. The Palmetto Youth Center's MLK Celebration Weekend runs January 15 to 17, with a parade on Saturday, January 16, at noon. The Palmetto Chalk Art Festival fills Sutton Park January 23 and 24, and the Coquina Beach Seafood & Music Festival lands the same weekend.
For the rest of the year, our guide to Bradenton and Manatee County festivals has the full calendar, and this month's things to do covers what's on right now.
What to Know Before You Go
Where: Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1402 14th Ave. W, Palmetto
When: Jan. 14-24, 2027
Admission: $10 adults; $6 kids 6-12 and active military; free for kids 5 and under
Parking: $10
Leave at home: Outside food and drinks, coolers, pets (service animals are welcome), selfie sticks, drones, and laser pointers. Bags may be checked at the gate.
Info: Manatee County Fair, (941) 722-8951
Pick your night, bring a canned good if it's opening night, and save room for the shortcake.
FAQ
When is the Manatee County Fair in 2027?
The 2027 Manatee County Fair runs Thursday, January 14, through Sunday, January 24, at the Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1402 14th Ave. W, Palmetto. Most weekday gates open at 5 p.m., while weekend, holiday, and Senior Day gates open at noon, and the fair closes at 10 p.m. most nights and 7 p.m. on the final Sunday.
How much does it cost to get into the Manatee County Fair?
Daily admission is $10 for adults 13 and up, $6 for kids 6 to 12, and $6 for active military with ID. Kids 5 and under get in free. Parking is $10, and ride armbands cost $25 on Tuesday through Thursday and $30 Friday through Monday.
Is there a free day at the Manatee County Fair?
Yes. Opening Day, Thursday, January 14, has a free gate for everyone from 5 to 10 p.m.; bring a canned good for the Food Bank of Manatee. On Kids Day, Monday, January 18, children and students with a school ID get in free from noon to 3 p.m. Senior Day on January 20 is $6.
How much are ride armbands at the Manatee County Fair?
Armbands cover unlimited rides for one day. They cost $25 on Thursday, January 14, Tuesday, January 19, Wednesday, January 20, and Thursday, January 21, and $30 on every other day of the 2027 fair. Admission and parking are separate, and armband prices stay the same on the free and discount days.
What can't you bring to the Manatee County Fair?
Outside food and drinks, coolers, and pets aren't allowed, though service animals are welcome. The fair also bans selfie sticks, drones, laser pointers, bikes, skateboards, and scooters that aren't mobility devices. Bags may be screened at the gate, so travel light and leave the cooler in the car.
