Jurassic Quest rumbles onto the South Florida Fairgrounds with dinosaur-sized fun for all ages

Yes, they have a T-rex!

Velociraptors, triceratops, camarasaurus, giganotosaurus, utahraptors and many, many more will also be in the mix.

Jurassic Quest, the largest and most realistic dinosaur exhibition in North America since 2013, is back, beginning Friday, Sept. 15, at the Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds. And a ticket to the exhibit offers more than just a look-see experience; it opens the door to walking among the giants — and getting a ride on one too.

This national production is visiting over 40 cities during its tour of the United States, and lucky for us it's making a three-day weekend stop in South Florida.

The interactive show offers a glimpse into the distant past and allows people of all ages to experience 165 million years of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods through the animals that lived during them.

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Featuring life-size, photorealistic specimens, attendees can walk among the (albeit fake) dinosaurs. (To give you the proper perspective, "life-size" when it comes to the spinosaurus is 60 feet long and 80 feet for the apatosaurus.)

Designed in collaboration with leading paleontologists, these fabricated prehistoric beasts are way more than sculptures. In addition to be replicated using the most recent research down to the last detail, including coloration, skin texture and teeth size, many of these dinosaurs can move and roar.

And, it bears repeating, a few of these animatronic beauties will allow children to ride them.

In addition to providing rides, several adolescent dinosaurs will mix and mingle with the crowd, sometimes playing with the audience.

If you think full-size and adolescent dinosaurs are cool, the cuteness factor soars with babies: baby triceratops, T-rex or camarasaurus. No need to step into the dino-nursery for a visit: Trainers will be toting the baby dinosaurs as they stroll through the crowds, allowing audiences to see and touch.

When the little humans, filled with excitement and wonder, need to burn some energy, you can send them to one of several big, dinosaur-themed bounce houses, some of which are designed specifically for small children.

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The grounds will also house designated dig areas, where amateur paleontologists can dig and brush their way to discoveries including actual triceratops and T-rex fossils. There is a craft area as well, where participants can create their own dinosaurs out of paper along with other materials.

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If you go

What: Jurassic Quest

Where: Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach

When: noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17

Cost: see website for ticket prices

Information: jurassicquest.com

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He has lived in the West Palm Beach area for more than 30 years and, from mild to wild, will cover noteworthy community happenings. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Interactive dinosaur fun comes to West Palm Beach fairgrounds