Ferris Wheels, Cotton Candy, and Crocheted Bonnets!

It all started in 1916! That was the year the enterprising ladies of the Woman’s Club of Largo lit a spark in the community that created what was to become the Pinellas County Fair.

A meeting was held early that year at the home of Mrs. Mary Edget and one topic on the evening’s agenda was fund-raising. Under the leadership of the Club’s ambitious President, Mrs. Marcia Tritt, Club members voted unanimously to hold a three-day fair the following January showcasing the wonderful resources of Pinellas County. Recognizing just how much work would be needed for the project, they sought the help of the men folk. It appeared the Fair might never get off the ground when the ladies were met with a lack of enthusiasm, or to put it not so mildly, a totally negative attitude. Well, Mrs. Tritt, with the Club’s members in support, met with the men and advised them, “We called this meeting to ask for help. If you can’t, we’ll do it ourselves. We’re going to put on a Fair.” And, indeed they did, on January 25-27, 1917!

Largo Prepares

As time approached, the ladies busied themselves with preparation of displays of needlework, quilting, cakes, and jams and jellies. Agricultural displays from citrus groves and vegetable gardens abounded. The Largo Band, under the direction of E.V. Sayers, provided the music . . . and a hot air balloonist provided further excitement. There was no cotton candy on the menu that year - the Methodist Church ladies offered the traditional “Cracker” fare we come to enjoy at our Society’s annual Cracker Supper.

No Ferris wheels either – the only wheels on exhibit were on Harry Ulmer’s gaily decorated Hudson Super Six, which earned him second prize by the way! A coveted Blue Ribbon went to none other than Women’s Club member, Mrs. Alvena Counts, for her crocheted hat in a pineapple pattern, complete with a shiny blue ribbon running through the beading and tied in a bow in the back!

The women had toiled long and hard on making this first fair a success. But, alas, guess who jumped on the bandwagon once the project was over? Yep, the men of the community! So much so, according to the headlines in the Largo Sentinel, that a Pinellas County Fair Association was formed with Mr. F.R. Francke elected President. The grounds of the Town’s Park (now known as Ulmer Park) could no longer accommodate the Fair; the Association secured 11 acres of land from the Charles Wharton Johnson estate for a permanent fairground (now known as Largo Central Park) . . . and as they say, the rest is history.

The Largo Fair Grows

Over the years, a lot of changes have taken place. In 1925, the Fair Association relinquished the operation of the Fair to the County. There were still plenty of agricultural and poultry exhibits; the boys in 4H now proudly showed off their prized cattle; and the midway expanded to include hair-raising rides and “girlie” shows. In 1948, a Horse Show was featured – complete with cow ponies, quarter horses, and harness racing. And for those of us who grew up in Largo in the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s, who can forget getting out of school early to go to the Fair and, of course, parking cars over by “Sandspur Stadium”. And, how about those bowls of gold fish we won on the ring toss game, corn dogs slathered with mustard, and, of course, the spinning Tilt-a-Whirl! How many men can recall sneaking under the fence as young boys rather than pay to get in? It didn’t really matter that it cost a dollar or less, it was just something boys did!

The Fair returned to Pinellas County this year. There were no primitive buildings constructed of rough-hewn timber with thatched roofs of palmetto fronds, nor pine needle purses or jars of orange marmalade on display. This year’s Fair was held at Tropicana Field. The carnival rides returned, and there were grizzly bears instead of dairy cows; no chicken perlau either – fried Snickers now the latest craze. The Fair indeed is back, but it will never transcend the opening day of the first Fair in 1917!