The Fair Comes To Town

from Osprey Observer Brandon/Winthrop January 2022

21 SEE AD ON

DISCOVER THE FUN AS FLORIDA STATE FAIR OPENS FEBRUARY 10

By Kate Quesada

Mark your calendars because the Florida State Fair is coming to town. Held at the Florida State Fairgrounds from Thursday, February 10 to Wednesday, February 23, the fair ofers food, fun, entertainment and even education for the whole family.

The Florida State Fair, first held in Tampa in 1904, has become one of the largest events in the state, attracting more than 500,000 people during its 12-day run.

The fair boasts the largest midway in the USA, a robust agricultural program, a circus, interactive animal exhibits and new attractions each year.

As the first state fair of the year, the Florida State Fair is the first to debut new foods as well as all of the unique fair foods visitors have come to know and love.

According to the fair’s website, some of this year’s unique food items include the caramel apple cinnamon roll, which is a cinnamon roll topped with warm cinnamon apple pie topping, drizzled with warm caramel; deep fried banana pudding, which is donut holes topped with banana pudding, whipped cream and caramel drizzled on top; and the donut dog, which consists of a homemade Long John donut, freshly

grilled all-beef hotdog, applewood bacon and icing drizzled on top. To prepare to eat all the delicious fair food, residents are invited to participate in the Deep-Fried Dash 5K and Fun Run. The run, which Te Florida State Fair opens on Tursday, February 10. starts at 7 a.m. on Saturday, February 19, takes participants through the fair grounds on the 5K and fun runs. All proceeds from the Deep-Fried Dash will benefit the Florida State Fair Foundation, a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to improve and support agricultural, scientific and educational programs at the Florida State Fair like Cracker Country Living History Museum, Ag-Venture and more. Participants can register today at https://floridastatefair.com/5K/. It’s afordable family fun at its best. Armbands for unlimited rides and other advance ticket deals are available online. For more information about the Florida State Fair, please visit www.floridastatefair.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram. The Florida State Fairgrounds are located at 4800 U.S. 301 in Tampa.

FDOT SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON I-75 IMPROVEMENTS

By Brad Stager

Since the Hillsborough County section of Interstate 75 was completed in 1985, population growth along the highway’s path in the last 37 years now makes a timely journey from Southern Hillsborough County to points north and south a gamble because of delays caused by heavy trafc, as well as the driving mishaps that road congestion sometimes plays a role in.

To address the need for improvements to I-75 as it passes through Hillsborough and Manatee Counties, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is developing projects to increase the trafc capacity and overall safety on a 41mile stretch of the highway, and it is inviting the public to a hearing on the proposed work. The hearing is part of Project Development and Environment Studies the agency is conducting to evaluate proposed improvements.

There are two projects under development. One starts at Moccasin Wallow Rd. in Manatee County and goes north for 23 miles, ending south of U.S. 301 in Hillsborough County. The other extends for 18 miles, from south of U.S. 301 to north of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Hillsborough County.

Proposed features include the addition of 12-foot express lanes in each direction in the median as well as improving safety features and stormwater management infrastructure.

The public is invited to participate in the process by attending a hearing on Thursday, January 27. The hearing will be held in person with online capability.

Kristen Carson, public information director of FDOT’s District Seven, said it is

Improvements being planned for Interstate 75 will be the subject of an FDOT-hosted public hearing on January 27 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Riverview. important for people to take an interest in how their transportation needs are being met. “The feedback of the community is very important to FDOT with every project we study so we can take into account the needs and concerns of the citizens,” she wrote in an email. The public hearing will take place on January 27 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., with the main presentation starting at 6:30 p.m. It will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Riverview, located at 4328 Garden Vista Dr. Virtual participants must register on the FDOT I-75 project website at www.fdotd7studies.com to participate. Project information is available for review on the I-75 project website and in person at the Brandon Regional Library and the Ruskin Branch Library until Monday, February 7. Materials can also be viewed at FDOT District Seven’s ofce at 11201 N. McKinley Dr. in Tampa.