10 Can’t Miss Moments at the Ohio State Fair!

If you know me well, you know I LOVE the Ohio State Fair. This isn’t a sponsored post, I just literally love our state fair. I think it’s so much fun and filled with can’t miss moments. I’ve rounded up ten of my favorite experiences that I have to visit every year. I don’t think I’ve missed a year of the fair, even when I was 9 months pregnant with Baby O. 

Let’s start with the fact that this is SO much more to state (or county) fairs than fried food and great people watching. I mean those are there, but they are also filled with hard work from 4-H participants, super informative activities about farming/gardening/etc., and really fun activities from sponsors!

Last year, Baby O got second place in the Molina Healthcare Baby Race. Yes, it was ridiculous and also amazing. Check out our 10 can’t miss moments at the Ohio State Fair and let me know what else you would add in the comments below! Don’t forget that the 2018 fair runs from July 25 – August 5, grab your tickets here! 

1 – Butter Cow + Baby Cows + Ice Cream

I feel like everyone knows about the infamous butter cow, it’s basically a local celebrity. The first butter cow was featured in 1903 and eventually found their home in the Dairy Products Building in the 1920’s. Each year, the butter cow (sculpture) takes about 500 hours and almost 2,000 pounds of butter to be created!

We’ve seen culturally significant sculptures like Darth Vader, Dave Thomas, a Furby, and even The Liberty Bell. I wonder what they will make this year at the Ohio State Fair! 

But, there are also some other goodies in the Dairy Products Building and area, including the yummiest ice cream. I usually opt for the strawberry flavor but they have mint, chocolate, vanilla, and you can even get it in milkshake form! Last but not least, right outside this building there are pregnant cows and one year I even saw a calf being born! 

2 – Smokey Bear 

“Only you can prevent forest fires!” Not that I’m in the forest often, but I owe it to this guy right here for my knowledge of forest fire safety. My favorite part of the Ohio State Fair growing up was when Smokey Bear would chat with me and even knew my name! I won’t let you know how old I was when I learned the “trick” behind Smokey Bear. 

I may or not have bought a shirt like this one here for our fair trip this summer. You can also find some cute fair-themed outfits at Target if you are a weirdo like me who needs a themed and possibly matching outfit. 

*photo credit: Ohio State Fair Facebook

3 – The FOOD

Alright, this might actually be my favorite part of the Ohio State Fair. We have our go-to treats but also like to mix it up and get something new every year. I’ve tried the fried butter, oreos, smore’s (pictured), and PB&J and honestly, they are all delicious. But, here are our favorite food stops! 

Turkey Corn Dog

Donut Burger (okay only I like this)

Corn Nuggets at Taste of Ohio

Inky Dinky Donuts

Wild Bills Curly Fries

Lemon Shake-Ups

4 – All the Competitions & Contests

Last year was the first year that I actually entered a contest at the fair. I entered the live cooking deviled egg contest and won third place – woo hoo! This year, I’m taking part in FOUR contests so I better win at least one or I might be slightly upset. Kidding, sorta. 

There are SO many awesome contests at the Ohio State Fair in all those buildings you never enter. There are tons of competitions including cooking, artwork, home-brewing, quilting, and even live-action dog agility contests. You can read all about them here and then check out the schedule to make sure you don’t miss them!  

This is one of my favorite things at the Ohio State Fair because I just love the confidence and hard work that all people entering these contests show. It warms my heart and I want everyone to check them out so they can appreciate it like I do. 

5 – Lumberjack Show

Also located in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources area, like Smokey Bear, is the best show at the fair. The Lumberjack Show is an intense showcase of lumberjacks doing their thing cutting giant trees and then even running on logs on the water! It’s such a fun show and the amphitheater is pretty shady which can be a blessing on a hot July day. 

*photo credit: Ohio Department of Natural Resources

6 – SkyGlider

To be fair, this is one of The Beard’s top ten favorite things at the Ohio State Fair. I’m a little squeamish of heights so the SkyGlider kind of freaks me out. However, I have ridden it and the views are pretty amazing. Plus, you can get from one side of the park to the other without having to walk and I’m all about convenience with a nice view. 

Just an FYI that it’s $3 per rider for a one-way ticket and it doesn’t take the ride wristbands. I would say it’s totally worth it at least once to take a ride, even if you are afraid of heights like scaredy cat me. 

7 – The Giant Slide

Okay so this may or may not be the only “ride” that I approve of at the fair. We don’t even walk down the Midway because the rides freak me out. But, this one is an exception. The Giant Slide is an Ohio State Fair tradition! You hike up 105 steps and then slide down the 144-foot long slide on a burlap sack, seriously so fun. 

*photo credit: Ohio State Fair Facebook

8 – Concerts, Concerts, and more Concerts

One of my favorite concerts as a child was seeing Rascal Flatts open (yes, OPEN) for Trick Pony when I was like 12. I feel like they really stepped up their concerts in the past few years and have a really wide variety of artists like The Beach Boys, Reba McEntire, TLC, Trevor Noah, and even Kidz Bop Live!

There is a cost associated with all of these concerts but there is also a TON of free live music options. You can find a schedule of all the shows here, but you’ll also probably see them when wandering around the fair! One of my favorite spots to watch music is at the Gazebo outside of Taste of Ohio. 

*photo credit: Ohio State Fair Website

9 – Taste of Ohio

This awesome round building houses some of my favorite things! The focus of Tate of Ohio is to provide food and drinks that are all produced locally here in Ohio. The meals are also served by the Ohio farmers who raise and grow the food, which is just so awesome. You can also find an area with Ohio beer and wine if you need a little pick-me-up throughout your day of fair-going! 

I also like this area because a) it has air conditioning, b) it has tons of seating, and c) it has cooking demos too! It’s a pretty cool setup with a beef, lamb, chicken, dairy, turkey, etc. “section” with food selections featuring those locally grown items. My absolute favorite are the corn nuggets but they also have a “thanksgiving dinner” that is fabulous. 

*photo credit: Ohio State Fair Yelp

10 – Baby Animals 

Nothing against adult animals but baby animals are the best. The Agriculture and Horticulture building across from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources area always has baby animals like chickens, puppies (!!!), and even baby ducklings! They always have volunteers next to the animals to educate you on the cute little babies and any other fun agricultural questions you might have. 

Due to the nature of the Ohio State Fair, there are a TON of 4-H animals you can find too! Last year, we found a super amazing gift shop inside the pig building and I almost bought everything, including the BABY PIGS in there. I repeat there was a bushel of baby pigs IN A GIFT SHOP. There are huge signs outside all the buildings labeling what animals are in them so just look for the sign and then instagram all the baby animals you see. Bonus points if you tag me in the baby piglet pictures.