The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reports a safe and successful 2026 Florida State Fair, as more than 350,000 attendees enjoyed one of Florida’s largest annual events without major incident.
Throughout the fair, public safety remained the top priority. There were 54 total ejections and 10 total arrests. Of the 10 arrests, seven involved juveniles and three involved adults. The 54 ejections involved 44 juveniles and 10 adults. In 2025, there were 56 total ejections.
Family Day accounted for 45 ejections and just two arrests. With thousands of students in attendance, the overwhelming majority came to enjoy the fair responsibly and without incident. Compared to 2025, when Family Day resulted in 21 arrests, this year’s significant reduction underscores the effectiveness of proactive planning, visible enforcement, and clear expectations that helped maintain a safe environment for everyone.
These numbers reflect proactive enforcement, swift intervention when necessary, and strong community cooperation.
“This fair represents the very best of our community,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “With more than 350,000 people in attendance, we saw families, students, and visitors come together to enjoy a great Florida tradition. When issues arose, they were addressed quickly and appropriately. Our goal is always to ensure events like this remain safe, welcoming, and family-friendly. I want to thank the Florida State Fair Authority for providing the resources, technology, and support that helped make this event a success, and I am especially grateful to our deputies for the tremendous effort they put in to ensure everyone could enjoy the fair safely.”
This year’s fair also featured enhanced safety technology, including the deployment of new Axon camera trailers to expand video monitoring capabilities and additional drone resources to improve response times and situational awareness across the fairgrounds.