Carnival & Fair News

A round-number anniversary, especially one spanning multiple decades and more than one century, reinforces a fair's credibility and legacy. It also gives local media a built-in news hook and enables marketing teams to build a campaign around an instantly attention-grabbing concept.

The Pensacola Interstate Fair turned 90 this year. A late-season Florida tradition, the fair draws attendees from Alabama, Georgia, and beyond, as its name suggests. With a loyal and growing following, the anniversary once again served as the central marketing theme.

“We were focusing strongly on celebrating our 90th year,” said Dondi Frenkel, spokesperson for the Pensacola Interstate Fair, explaining the 2025 marketing strategy. “90 Years of Fun & Making Memories.”

The marketing budget was comparable to 2024, but the mix shifted. “It was dominant digital, billboards, and social media,” Frenkel said, supplemented by television, some radio, and very little print.

Interstate Reach

One of the fair's distinguishing features is the word “Interstate” in its name, and this year organizers leaned further into that identity. The marketing strategy reflected the fair's broad geographic appeal.

“We only allow Florida residents to enter competitions for our exhibits,” Frenkel explained. “But we are directly on the state line, so we are uniquely positioned to draw customers from Alabama and even Georgia. We do advertise billboards and TV and radio in Alabama as well.”

The marketing team also implemented steeply discounted flash sales in the first quarter of 2025, extending the promotional calendar and building early anticipation.

“We did a flash sale to kick off our advance ticket sales several months before the event,” Frenkel said. “It was quite successful.”

Attendance reached approximately 200,000 visitors, on par with previous years, although the fair lost its closing day. “The weather cooperated for the most part,” Frenkel said. “We were not able to open on our last day due to strong rain and wind. Other than that, it was nice and even turned cool, which made for some great evenings.”

Attendance skewed toward the evening hours. Like many fairs addressing modern security and safety concerns, the Pensacola Interstate Fair instituted stricter admission policies for minors along with a clear-bag policy. Despite the weather-related setback, the fair's 90th birthday was widely considered a success.

Successful & Safe

“It was a very successful and safe fair,” Frenkel said. “We celebrated our 90th anniversary this year. We had a wonderful collection of exhibits provided by the community. It's a great opportunity for people to show off their passions and talents. Our entertainment lineup was stellar and well attended as well.”

While the new safety measures initially met some resistance, most fairgoers welcomed the visibly safer and more family-friendly environment.

“Overall, we got great feedback for making safety our top priority,” Frenkel said. “We instituted a clear-bag policy, which was a change for our customers. Naturally, any change takes time to get used to.”

Except for closing day, when inclement weather kept the gates closed, fairgoers remained upbeat. Frenkel noted a noticeable increase in young families attending.

“It's always wonderful to see a new generation experiencing the fair for the first time,” he said. “Great vibe. Everyone had a great time.”

Economic Headwinds

The primary challenge came from the broader economic climate in October.

“We had a very good fair with perfect weather for most of the run,” said Rick Reithoffer of Reithoffer Shows. “But we faced the consequences of the government shutdown.”

Layoffs, furloughs, and delayed SNAP benefits dampened consumer confidence. Reithoffer described an overall “air of caution.”

“Our vendors saw business drop as people cut their spending,” he said. “Ride grosses were on par with last year, but food and games were down. Then, on the very last day, we had a big storm with 4.5 inches of rain, which canceled the day entirely. We lost that day's gross.”

Frenkel acknowledged the impact on spending. “I did hear from several vendors that people were not spending as much, but many still had a very successful year.”

Beloved Event

The Reithoffer Shows midway at the 2025 Pensacola Interstate Fair featured 50 rides, matching 2024, and included four new major rides along with two new kiddie rides. Top-grossing attractions included Super Himalaya, the Galaxy Roller Coaster, and the Giant Wheel.

The fair's 90th anniversary celebrations also overshadowed another milestone: Reithoffer Shows marked its 40th year as the fair's midway provider.

Despite economic uncertainty and a rain-shortened finale, Reithoffer emphasized the fair's enduring popularity.

“The fair draws from Alabama. It's about an hour's drive from Mobile,” he said. “But everybody in Pensacola goes to the fair. People wait all year for it. Restaurants say it's their worst week because everyone goes to the fair. It's a big military town, and all their families come out.”

According to Frenkel, Clay Walker, Rodney Atkins, and Sawyer Brown were the biggest concert draws. Additional entertainment included Tyler Farr, Petra, George Birge, and specialty acts such as a tribute to Elvis and an 80s rock ensemble. Fan-favorite attractions included Sea Lion Splash, Circus Hollywood, the Family Petting Zoo, Reno's Reptiles, and The Big Red Barn.

The 2025 Pensacola Interstate Fair weathered economic uncertainty and a washed-out finale, but continued post-pandemic gains in attendance, marketing reach, and programming reinforced its importance to the community.

“The fair experience will always be passed down to a new generation,” Frenkel said. “It's something parents can share with their children while reliving their own memories. It's on the same fairgrounds many parents attended themselves. That's something you can't reproduce digitally, and it will always be the fair's advantage.”