TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The North Florida Food Fair has arrived in Tallahassee.
This year, the fried food is coming with fewer people and more rules.
The fair was originally canceled due to COVID-19, and while you won't see rides at the fairgrounds, you can grab some of your favorite fair food.
Organizers say it's all about staying accountable.
Masks are encouraged, and they have hand sanitizing stations throughout the area for people to keep themselves clean while they go from vendor to vendor.
On Friday, people attending said they're eager for a bit of normalcy in Tallahassee during this coronavirus pandemic.
"People are going to come out because it's cabin fever, and they want something different," said Steve Tothe, the owner of Belly Buster.
Tothe drove all the way from Daytona Beach to be here this weekend.
Masked employees are preparing his belly buster sandwiches with a screen separating the customers from the employees.
While not every business has screens, every employee here must mask up, and tables will be sanitized after every use.
Customers like Gary Halley say he's happy about the safety measures being taken.
"The nearest person to me is probably 25 feet away, plus," said Halley. "Everything is outside. Not even in the pavilions. I feel completely safe and absolutely fine."
A few vendors down, the Tiki Iced Tea shop has social distance markers along with reminders on each side for people to stay away from each other.
Terrance Scott calls it reassuring.
"I feel comfortable with it," Scott said. "I'm 100 percent okay with it."
While for visitors, it's a chance for a treat, for vendors, it's an opportunity to make some money again.
"We are beyond excited," said Lindsey Constantine. "We have not worked for a year, so we are super excited to be out here. We're ready to get back to work and ready to put COVID behind us."
Parking and entry fees have been waived this year.
The food fair continues this weekend from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
