As one of the first large-scale fairs of the year, industry observers often look to the South Florida Fair for clues about the season ahead. A Palm Beach tradition dating back to 1912, the event ranked No. 42 on the Top 50 Fairs list, attracting 408,570 visitors in 2025.
In 2026, an exact attendance tally was unavailable, but according to CEO Matt Wallsmith, the growing event was on track for a record-breaking year until Mother Nature delivered an unusually cold and windy closing weekend for South Florida.
The loss of those key days meant attendance ended roughly on par with the previous year, down only about 1 percent.
“The South Florida Fair had a great start. We were up about 13 percent over the prior year with the final weekend approaching,” said Wallsmith. “The unusual windy and cold weather had a strong impact on the final few days, and we ended up about 1 percent down from the prior year.”
Still, the final attendance number masks several bright spots.
“We did not set any daily attendance records,” he said. “But there were nine record days in concession spending, including an all-time record day on the middle Saturday. The midway also had three record days during the 17-day fair.”
Reading Tea Leaves
What lessons might the 2026 South Florida Fair offer to fair managers, midway providers, and other industry professionals?
Wallsmith says the first takeaway is the continued strength of the fair experience itself.
“The fair industry is not facing a demand problem,” he said. “I think we offer an experience that the public wants. As long as we continue to provide that experience and communicate the value while introducing new and innovative attractions, people will support the fair.”
However, consumer confidence appears to be declining. Attendance, spending patterns, and other aspects of the event suggested that economic uncertainty may be influencing fairgoer behavior.
“Consumers are being much more surgical about when and how they spend,” said Wallsmith. “We saw very strong weekends and event-driven spikes, but our slower days required more deliberate intervention.”
In other words, discounts proved to be the most effective promotions this year.
“People were out and having a good time, and per-capita spending was up for those who attended,” he said. “But we did see stronger turnout for our special days such as $2 Tuesday and BOGO Thursday. Some fairgoers were clearly looking for bargains and were willing to attend on a weekday to save money.”
Another factor may have influenced attendance as well. Reports about ICE officers targeting Hispanics created concern within the community.
“Our attendance was strong when the weather was good but slightly softer than prior years,” Wallsmith said. “I think the number of Hispanics attending the fair was significantly lower than in the past. Although there was no ICE activity on the fairgrounds, rumors on social media may have discouraged attendance from the Hispanic community.”
Inflation was also evident at the fair. Visitors complained about higher prices but still spent more overall.
“Costs for labor and materials were up, which resulted in higher prices for food and beverages,” Wallsmith said. “Concession spending was up 6 percent over last year even though attendance was down 1 percent.”
Despite these concerns, weather remained the primary factor affecting the 2026 event.
“Midway and attendance revenue were about the same as the prior year,” he said. “Midway and gate revenue were up about 13 percent prior to the final weekend, but the unusually cold weather erased those gains by the end of the fair.”
He added, “Per-capita revenue for the gate and midway was about the same as the prior year, while food and beverage spending increased about 6 percent over 2025.”
Looking ahead to the 2026 fair season, Wallsmith sees several trends.
“If I had to forecast the season, I would say peak days will remain strong,” he said. “There may be some weakness in the Hispanic fairgoer market. Weather and perceived value will matter more than ever. Midweek performance will depend heavily on pricing strategy and messaging.”
He also noted that guests will pay for premium conveniences if they clearly improve the experience.
“Things like VIP parking received no pushback except complaints when it sold out,” he said.
Strategic discounting will remain an important tool.
“You need targeted promotions on your slowest days to create real value opportunities for budget-sensitive families. We saw increased demand on discounted days. Avoid across-the-board discounts. Thoughtful, controlled adjustments help protect peak revenue while driving volume where you need it.”
“Party with the Pirates”
Fair managers may also take note of another trend introduced at the 2026 South Florida Fair: a comprehensive marketing overhaul.
The revamp began with a new tagline designed to anchor the campaign. South Florida was a favored destination during what historians consider the golden age of piracy from about 1650 to 1730, and that legacy still resonates in the region.
The fair struck marketing gold with its 2026 theme, “Party with the Pirates.”
According to Wallsmith, the theme was developed in-house.
“Fair staff brainstorm ideas and we narrow them down to what we think is the best theme,” he explained. “We wanted something fun that would appeal to all age groups while also offering an educational component. Although ‘Pirates of the Fairibbean' was a strong contender, we chose ‘Party with the Pirates.'”
Wallsmith increased the marketing budget by 4 percent to more than $600,000 and shifted funds toward digital media.
“We strategically reallocated funds from traditional media into digital advertising, with a focused investment in influencers and digital creators to expand reach, engagement, and audience connection,” he said.
The 2026 media mix reduced television spending in favor of digital channels.
“Radio and billboards stayed about the same,” he said. “We spent about 11 percent of our budget on TV, 16 percent on radio, 12 percent on billboards, and 30 percent on digital. The remaining 31 percent went to production, community events, and general marketing expenses.”
The fair also used artificial intelligence more extensively than in previous campaigns.
“We partnered with a new production company this year. The creative was filmed live in studio, with post-production incorporating AI-generated backgrounds, visual effects, and graphics to create a high-impact video messaging experience.”
Advanced analytics were also added to the marketing toolkit.
“A key addition this year was Placer.ai, a location analytics platform that uses mobile device data to measure foot traffic, visitor behavior, and trade area insights,” Wallsmith said. “We can now track visits, demographics, zip codes, and more to make better data-driven decisions when targeting regional audiences.”
The fair also reworked its social media strategy.
“We intentionally shifted from simply promoting the fair to bringing people inside it,” Wallsmith said. “We highlighted the people who make the fair what it is.”
Content included interviews with participants in the Plein Air Art Competition, scholarship recipients, and students involved in the Beyond the Fair program. The fair also expanded its “Tiny Mic Time” videos with vendors and partnered with more influencers from South Florida.
Staff members also appeared more frequently in content.
“From playful food videos with our sponsorship staff to skits with our entertainment team and ride videos with maintenance staff, we leaned into the personalities behind the scenes,” he said.
Posting frequency also increased significantly.
“For the first time, we introduced a ‘Daily Rundown' carousel each morning before the gates opened. Visitors could easily see every show, competition, and performance happening that day.”
More than half of the posts were short-form video.
“Our strategy focused on community, transparency, and personality. We wanted our social presence to feel like a conversation rather than a promotional feed.”
TikTok also became a major focus.
“In 2026, our TikTok strategy evolved into a highly interactive, community-driven channel,” he said. “We posted daily, often multiple times per day.”
Content included staff skits, behind-the-scenes moments, food features, competition interviews, and lighthearted memes.
“One of the biggest changes was engagement,” he said. “We made a deliberate effort to like and respond to every comment.”
The result was a more interactive audience.
“Followers were not just watching. They were participating by sharing photos from the fair, ride pictures, and responses to our comments.”
Wallsmith believes strong social media messaging is now essential.
“It is no longer enough to have clean grounds, efficient entry, visible security, and friendly staff. Strong social media messaging can be the difference between someone saying ‘that was expensive' and ‘that was worth it.'”
First Full Year
Although the 2026 fair was Wallsmith's second as CEO, it was his first after a full year in the role.
He took over shortly before the 2025 event, replacing longtime CEO Vicki Chouris after serving more than 25 years as the fair's CFO.
That additional year helped him better understand the organization.
“I gained a much better understanding of the organization's legal structure and board functions,” he said. “I have also gotten to know many of our volunteer board members on a more personal level, which helped me better understand how the fair supports local government and the broader community.”
He credits his staff with many of the event's innovations.
“I have a great team around me and often act as a filter for their ideas,” he said.
One of the most successful additions was a pirate-themed, family-friendly speakeasy.
“We were able to leverage our staff's experience with Fright Nights to create a unique premium experience for our fairgoers,” he said.
Food sales also performed strongly. Wallsmith increased the number of vendors to 132.
While traditional fair foods remained popular, healthier options drew attention.
“This was the first year we had a gluten-free vendor and a fully vegan vendor,” he said. “They received a lot of attention from the news, which generated positive publicity for the fair. They were also happy with their sales.”
Some trendy items proved especially popular.
“The hottest new item was tanghulu, which had constant lines throughout the fair,” Wallsmith said. “People were also drawn to Korean corn dogs, which were a big hit.”
Wade Shows Midway
Wade Shows provided the midway for its 20th season at the South Florida Fair. According to CEO Frank Zaitshik, the fair is one of the company's premier events.
“Everything about this great fair is first class, from the grounds to the entertainment and vendors, not to mention the staff and board,” he said.
In 2025, the company set a record ride gross. Despite the cold and windy weather during the final week of the 2026 fair, Wade Shows broke that record again.
“It is truly a remarkable feat,” Zaitshik said.
This year the midway included several new attractions, including a brand-new Crazy Dance ride booked from Big Rock Amusements, a KMG X-Drive themed Colossus from Powers Great American Midways, and two refurbished family rides: a Majestic Charlie Chopper and a Zamperla Lighthouse Dive.
“We feel fortunate to have been the carnival provider at this outstanding fair for the past 20 years,” Zaitshik said.
