THE
ORGANIZATION
THE SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR AND PALM BEACH
COUNTY EXPOSITIONS, INC.
is a nonprofit corporation 501 (C3) organized and existing
pursuant to Chapter 616, Florida Statutes. It has
a
Board of Trustees comprised of seventeen (17) individuals
who are responsible for setting policy and seeing
that
management of the association is carried out under
direction of an executive staff consisting of the
President/CEO
and their Vice Presidents.
The Fair also has Directors who serve in an advisory
capacity. There are presently fifty-five (55) Directors.
The Trustees and Directors are non-paid volunteers.
The day-to-day operation is the responsibility of the
President, Rick Vymlatil, who oversees a staff of
over
45 full-time employees.
THE FAIRGROUNDS
Approximately 130 acres comprise the real property commonly
referred to as the "Fairgrounds". In 1957,
Palm Beach County gave the Fair 100 acres at its present
site but later took back 20 acres for the stockade.
This contribution was made in consideration of the Fair
agreeing to relocate from John Prince Park in order
that the County could vie for a state university (PBCC).
Generally, the Fairgrounds is segregated into several
pods or tracts: the parking tracts, Yesteryear Village,
the Cruzan Amphitheatre, and the exhibit buildings,
including the Americraft Expo Center and the Agriplex.
The space available on the Fairgrounds for trade shows
and exhibits exceeds 200,000 square feet.
During the annual South Florida Fair, the southern parking
tract is utilized as the "midway" containing
rides, shows, games, and concessions.
THE EVENTS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS
The main event on the Fairgrounds
is the annual South Florida Fair which occurs over a
17 day period, generally in the last two (2) weeks of
January each year.
 Over
the past several years, the annual fair has incorporated
a theme as a means of stimulating tourism as well as
the educational and cultural interest of the residents
of Palm Beach County. For instance, "Florida"
was featured at the 1998 fair and "Alaska", "Tales
of the American West",
"New England", "Hollywood", "Having
a Ball", "Dreams, screams, thrills, chills" and "Party
with the Animals" were showcased in previous fairs.
One of the greatest aspects of the annual fair is its
agricultural and livestock exhibits which clearly
provide
the greatest variety of such exhibits anywhere within
Palm Beach County. Even though agriculture is such
a
tremendous part of Palm Beach County’s economic
base, many school children have never been exposed
to
it. However, at the annual South Florida Fair, not
only can they see and learn all about agriculture,
but can
even witness a calf being born, or learn how a dairy
is operated.
The annual fair attracts over 1/2 a million people
through its turnstiles. However, 650,000 people will
attend various events on the Fairgrounds on an annual
basis. Besides the 150,000 ft. Americraft Expo Center,
there are
10 other smaller exhibit buildings along with the Cruzan
Amphitheater, Agriplex and Yesteryear Village.
These events constitute 250 event days.
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