Credit: Grayson Newbourn | Managing Editor Arts & Life
It’s that time of the summer again — the Ohio State Expo Center will stay packed throughout the oncoming weeks as visitors ride rides, devour fair food and rock out to the Ohio State Fair’s stacked lineup of live entertainment acts.
Running from Wednesday to August 3, the state fair first opened in 1850 and is one of the largest in the country. The event draws in nearly 1 million people annually, according to Experience Columbus.
Read on to learn more about what’s in store for this year’s Ohio State Fair.
Live entertainment:
For years, musicians have graced the fair’s stages. Most notably, iconic artists such as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, The Beach Boys and Dolly Parton have found themselves performing for fairgoers on multiple occasions, according to the University District History website.
This year is no different — a concert will take place every night of the fair, excluding Sundays. Tickets for each performance are available for purchase online and include admission to the fair in the pricing. Prices range from $35.60 to $95.25.
Foreigner, a British-American rock band best known for their 1984 hit, “I Want to Know What Love Is,” will hit the stage Thursday at 7 p.m. Additionally, T-Pain, the artist behind “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’),” will perform July 30 at 7 p.m.
Other notable artists include AJR, an American pop band with seven platinum singles, including “Weak” and “100 Bad Days” and Trace Adkins, an American country singer known for “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.”
Additionally, the fair will host Leanne Morgan, a stand-up comic, and will offer free live music by the All-Ohio State Fair Band & Youth Choir, as well as an unofficial Taylor Swift tribute and an ‘80s pop experience concert.
For more information on the concert lineup and to purchase tickets, visit the fair’s website.
Food vendors:
With over 200 vendors, according to the fair’s website, guests can expect to see typical fair foods as well as some new, unconventional offerings for those adventurous enough to try.
Fans of the Lemon Shake-Up can enjoy the classic beverage in sundae form this year, complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top, thanks to the North American Food Service.
For those following the Dubai chocolate craze, the fair will offer the pistachio-packed treat in the forms of a ½ pound chocolate bar and funnel cake.
From Top Notch Concessions comes the Sausage S’more Skewer. As odd as that may sound, it’s exactly as the name suggests — smoked sausage and toasted marshmallows on a stick, covered in chocolate and graham cracker crumbles.
While the fair takes place through the end of July and into early August, visitors can get a taste of November with the new Thanksgiving-themed sundaes and sandwiches — complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy and cranberry sauce.
These items are just a few of the fair’s newest additions. A complete list of the new menu as well as allergen information can be found on the fair’s website.
Butter Cows:
In 1903, a butter-sculpting competition gave birth to the fair’s now-permanent attraction, the Butter Cow. A cow and calf — both made of butter — are sculpted each year, along with a special, featured butter sculpture meant to represent the ideals and traditions of Ohio. The sculptures are presented by the American Dairy Association Mideast and are made out of thousands of pounds of expired, unconsumable butter, according to the fair’s website.
In past years, featured sculptures have included a tribute to the Buckeyes, Ohio’s dairy farmers, John Glenn and Dave Thomas, the founder of fast-food chain Wendy’s.
This year, the ADAM’s message is simple and ever-so-representative of the state — “Pardon Our Dust!”
The construction-themed butter display showcases the iconic cow and calf donning hard hats, along with three life-size construction workers with a jackhammer, two-way radio and blueprints. The construction crew are surrounded by scaffolding, safety cones and sawhorses, according to an ADAM press release.
Attractions:
A fair is not the same without an assortment of wacky, carnival-esque rides and coasters. Luckily, the Ohio State fair offers a variety of rides for children and adults alike to enjoy.
All games and rides at the fair are cashless, instead utilizing a “Magic Money” wristband that visitors can easily reload with cash or card at kiosks scattered throughout the fairgrounds.
In addition to rides such as the Century Wheel — a 65-foot-tall ferris wheel — and the Monkey Maze, a two-story fun house, the fair will also have the Mega Drop, an 120-foot-tall free-fall drop and haunted house attractions, among a variety of other high — and low — adrenaline feats. A comprehensive list of all rides is available online.
Visitors will also be able to meet baby farm animals at the OVMA Animal Care Center, go kayaking at the Natural Resources Park and check out pig races, circus performances by the Cincinnati Circus Company and a Lumberjack show featuring fast-paced log rolling and wood chopping action, according to the fair’s website.
A map of the fair’s layout, along with other FAQ’s and general information, can be found online.
