Food trucks converge at Florida State Fair for annual ‘Discover the Food Festival’ on April 30
Get a taste of the best that the Tampa Bay region has to offer when the Florida State Fair Authority hosts its Discover the Food Festival on Saturday, April 30 from 11am to 7pm and Sunday, May 1 from 11am to 5pm at the Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 US Highway 301 North in Tampa. The event is a twist on the Food Truck Festival that has been held at the Fairgrounds annually for the past three years. While a variety of food truck fare remains on the menu, this year’s Festival also features craft beer from Tampa’s own Coppertail Brewing Co. and the return of some Florida State Fair favorites as well as entertainment for the whole family.
Admission is free. Parking is $6 for cars and $12 for buses or RVs (cash only).
For the first time, Mildred W. and Doyle E. Carlton Jr. Cracker Country Living History Museum will be open to the public free of charge from 11am to 5pm on the Saturday of the Festival.
Guests are invited to tour the historic buildings and grounds that represent home life, commerce and transportation as it was in many rural Florida communities just before the turn of the 20th century. Experience music, hands-on craft activities and demonstrations of old Florida foodways including a kitchen garden, cane-grinding mill, open fire cooking, butter churning and salt extraction.
Radio Crime, Tampa Bay’s premiere classic rock band, will headline the event. Entertainment also will include Children’s Storytimes by the Hillsborough County Public Library throughout the morning and afternoon on Sunday. A Kid’s Fun Zone with an inflatable slide, bounce houses and more will make a return appearance at the Festival.
Tampa’s own Coppertail Brewing Co. will offer their popular Free Dive IPA, Unholy American Trippel, Night Swim Robust Porter and Wheat Stroke American Wheat Ale. Brew masters will be on hand to provide pairing advice to best complement your fare of choice.
Pepin Distributing Co. also will be offering a variety of popular beers including Shocktop, Stella and Cornona. In addition, Budweiser will be bringing their Beer Garden Experience – a mobile bar serving Budweiser products complete with televisions, an interactive digital kiosk and a phone charging stations.
For those adults looking for a more exotic kick, Gasolina Urban Blends are bringing their ready to drink cocktails crafted with premium spirits such as high quality Caribbean rum, 100% agave tequila, five times filtered and distilled vodka and 100% natural fruit juices. Packaged in a unique aluminum pouch complete with straw, Gasolina Urban Blends come in six delicious flavors: Original, Tu Madras, Mojito, Pink Martini, Sangriiia and Sea Breeze.
Discerning palates can choose from seafood, sandwiches and barbeque, as well as a variety of ethnic cuisine. Hott Mess, Skoops Italian Ice, Claws and More and Monsta Lobsta are among those confirmed for the Festival.
The event is being sponsored by the Tampa Tribune, Coppertail Brewing Co. and Pepin Distributing Company.
For more information about attending the Food Festival, go to www.floridastatefair.com or follow the Florida State Fair on Facebook and Twitter.
