We LOVE the Indiana State Fair. It is an annual event for our family. There are always “can’t miss” experiences & sights & of course smells to take in at the fair. No matter how many times we visit, we always find a new fun exhibit. On Monday, we spent our last day of summer vacation checking out the fair thanks to Indiana’s Family of Farmers. From the new Glass Barn Exhibit to the World’s Largest Popcorn Ball, we spent the day immersed in agricultural goodness. All four of us came home royally worn out & thankful for a day spent together as a family learning and exploring.
IFOF has an active hand in the Indiana State Fair sponsoring a number of interactive experiences around the fairgrounds for the next couple of weeks. They’re the sponsor the World’s Largest Popcorn Ball, a 5,000-pound, 9-foot popcorn delicacy featured at the Ball State Ag/Horticulture Building (pictured above with Princess Eldest). And oh, in case you’re wondering, after the fair, the popcorn will be fed to Indiana livestock. Nothing is wasted in the farming community!
For the second year in a row, the DuPont Food Pavilion will be a part of this year’s state fair. There are hourly food demos in the Red Gold Kitchen there! And you can even catch yours truly on Saturday August 17th at 10 AM talking about Frugal Household Cleaners. The pavilion also features a retail store with more than 30 Indiana made specialty items available for purchase. I was drooling as I shopped!
Indiana State Fair attendees who follow the Indiana’s Family of Farmers Recipe Trail at the fairgrounds can even help feed the hungry and receive a useful popcorn-shaped memento! Plus you’ll score 10 great recipe cards as you travel around to some of the fair’s most memorable destinations.
Looking for ways to save at the Indiana State Fair? Check out Blue Ribbon Ways to Save at the Indiana State Fair over on Doing Indy!
But the best way to save at the Indiana State Fair is not to pay at all! That’s why I’m happy to host a quick ticket give away for a Family 4 Pack of Tickets to the Indiana State Fair. Follow the directions on the Rafflecopter below to enter.
This post was sponsored by Indiana’s Family of Farmers. That means I was compensated for this post. For more details, you can read my Disclosure Policy. You get to read about agriculture in Indiana {and maybe win tickets to the Indiana State Fair} I get a few dollars in the Royal Emergency fund. All is well and royally swell. This post was not edited or reviewed by anyone else as you can tell by my grammar and crazy random thoughts. I always give you my honest opinions in any Royal Review or Give Away post, that’s a Royal Guarantee!
Christy says
The horses. We can’t get through the fair without going to the horse barn at least twice!
Tosha Dawn Gambrel says
I have a set routine when I attend the fair, I have ever since I was a little girl going with my mom. We start in the horse barns and work our way through the farm equipment and on around until we end up back at the horse barns. When we’ve looked through everything (and I do mean everything) we always go to the midway and ride two rides, the Scrambler and the large slide. Our routine has turned into tradition!
Adrienne Qualls says
My favorite thing to do is eat at the fair! I love trying the newest deep fried creation :).
Leah G. says
We love to check out all of the animals!
Beth Bennett says
Favorite thing is eating fair food.
Becky Lee says
My mom loves the harness races. Me, I like the food.
Karis Blunden Madison says
Love the state fair!!!
Laura says
The State Fair is a MUST every year!
Bill Hoff says
Milk shake and tenderloin and watching the cloggers!
Amy H says
My girls love the fishing, little hands on the farm, the cheese sculpture, the ginormous pig, the special acts and the Dairy Barn grilled cheese!
Vickie Coumbe says
I love the fair and go nearly every year, the elephant ears, ribeye steaks, shows all of it !
Holli says
I love to check out all the animals and of course the food. I love $2 Taste of the State Fair and can’t leave without stopping by the Dairy Barn for a shake!
Teresa Clark says
Visit all of the animal barns!
Kerri Davis says
My favorite thing to do at the fair is go around to all of the animal barns with my daughter and buy the feed in the petting areas. She loves it and squeals with delight. Brings such joy that she enjoys the fair as much as I always have.
Joanna says
I volunteer at the Lactation Station every year- highlight of my summer!
Laura says
Fav thing at the fair…..LOVE going through the exhibits and seeing all of the wonderful things our kids are doing, making, raising. So proud of all of them!
Tricia Smith says
Roasted Corn on the Cob. ’nuff said. 🙂
Sara Gard McNabb says
I love the State Fair! Our family hasn’t been yet this year. We used to go during the week but my daughter started Kindergarten last week, so that has changed our routine quite a bit. My kids LOVE the quarter horses. 🙂 Hoping to get there this weekend.
Melody says
The food!
Nathan says
The Dairy Bar is a must stop
Kari Weddle says
We love the Indiana State Fair and I can’t wait to take the 2 new kids in our family for the 1st time!
Sarah Solducky says
Visit the horse barn and the sati babi stand. And get a lemon shake up!
Shelli Worgess says
Love, love, LOVE the state fair!! So thankful we live close enough to go at least once, and would love the opportunity to take the fam! My favorite is my once a year splurge on an elephant ear. YUM! And the dairy barn. And the horse barn. And, well, everything really!
Jessica Tysen says
Eat the yummy food & watch the 6 horse hitch
Magen Kritsch says
The Food!
Cassandra Schmigotzki says
I enjoy walking around and seeing what all is there. My husband and son ride the rides and I just relax.
Michelle Sigler says
LOVE the Indiana state fair! I grew up in a town way too far away to see the state fair so I am so glad we live close to ours and can take our daughter.
Shel says
My daughter would love to go see the animals, but there’s so much to do at the fair!
Stephanie Newsham says
Petting some of the animals. My 2 year old is in heaven.
Brittany says
I love to see all of the shows in the Family Fun Park! Eventhough I’m in my 20s, it never gets old to have a little fun!
Beth Malone Eckstein says
I love fair food and people watching!! Now that I am a parent, I really like watching my children experience everything for the first time.
Steven Bales says
My favorite thing is the dairy barn. It’s just something about those grilled cheese and the milk shakes. I also enjoy people watching while I ride the fair train around the fairgrounds!
Tammy says
Love the fair food!
Elizabeth says
For as long as I can remember, my family always spent a LONG time watching the baby ducks go up the ladder and slide down into the water. I still love it and couldn’t wait to show those baby ducks to my kids when we took them a few years ago. 🙂 Now that I’ve moved away, I miss those annual visits to the fair. It’s more like every-other year now.
Charlene P says
We love the fair food!
Victoria says
People watch 🙂