I have been to many events here over the years: the state fair, races. dog shows, garden and patio shows and many other events. On a recent Saturday only one gate was open, even though multiple events were being held in different buildings. The entrance off Binford was closed, and some of the gates on 38th street were closed. This meant everyone had to enter the same gate and follow the "Parking for All Events" signs all the way through the grounds. There is always a charge for parking. The grounds are well kept and multiple parking lots are available so you can park near the building that is hosting the event you are attending. read more

Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center - AKC dog show - Skating Rinks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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We saved an inordinate amount of money by going to the Fair on $2 Tuesday with our granddaughters. It was a foodie paradise. I admit that it has been a number of years since I've been to the Stare Fair, so I was surprised by all the updates and building expansion. The remodeled swine barn could be featured in House Beautiful. The building is spacious, immaculate and super functional. It's an amazing state of the art facility. My granddaughters loved seeing the mother and baby pigs. The $2 specials on Fair food gave us a chance to taste many different Fair delectable. The Key Lime shakes at the dairy barn were a big hit with us. The girls also had the mini funnel cakes, which they loved. We tried the hand cut fries, which were delicious. I wanted to try more foods, but there was so much to do and see, that we just didn't have time. The kids enjoyed petting and feeding the sheep and goats in the FFA building. There were many educational activities for them. We rode the Sky Ride that ran over the Midway. The relaxing ride offered great views of the fair. We purchased tickets for rides for the kids. There was special pricing for all the rides for $2 Tuesday. The kids rode about six rides for $30, and we all enjoyed the Ferris Wheel as a family. The day wasn't without a couple issues. The Midway lost power for 20 minutes, just as the rides were getting started. The kids were antsy, but we weathered the wait. My granddaughter also got injured on a large slide/ride. She came down the slide and went airborne a bit, bruising both elbows on landing. I think they should shut that ride down. I also would have liked to see more shaded seating. The afternoon got hot! I never did find restrooms. We always love taking a trip on the tractor train around the grounds. I loved that the hostess on the train pointed out features of each stop. We got in one trip before the Fair got too crowded that there were no seats. Entry was only $2 on Tuesday, compared to $16 for other days. A family should expect to spend well over $100 to visit the Fair, including $10 parking. We got there very early and got a great parking space. Getting through security was fast early in the morning. Exiting the parking lot was easy as well. While we didn't get to see everything we wanted, we had a memorable visit for our granddaughters. The facilities are top notch. read more

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The Indiana State Fair this year was disappointing, if you ask me. Perhaps it was due to the fact that we attended on $2 Tuesday and the crowds were massive, but in the past, this hasn't been a problem. Inflation has $2 Tuesday feeling like less of a deal, and more like a scam! One stall's $2 deal was one potsticker! It was truly laughable. The $19 turkey legs was tough, dry and tasteless. This was the second year that I had to go home and "doctor it up" in order for my husband to enjoy it. The mini elephant ear for $2 was the perfect size for someone like me, who just wanted a little something sweet. You can't really need to a corndog, so those were good. I couldn't get an ear of corn because I have braces currently (that was a real bummer). But the jerk chicken and beef patties from Jamaican Breeze did not disappoint. Entry prices went way up this year. It was $16/ person unless you attended on one of the discounted days. The fair closed for a bit due to lightning strikes within 8 miles, and the tram was not in service. I'm guessing the shut it down due to the crowds, but that really changes the experience if you were counting on using it. I attended annually, as it is a long-running tradition in my family, but if the process keep going up and food quality keeps declining, I feel that it is a tradition that I can let go. Sidenote: I didn't see it interact with any animals this year, not did I ride any rides. There were just too many people. I was not enjoying weaving in and out of the crowds and therefore left after satisfying my fair food cravings. read more

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I feel like I've experienced the State Fair from a totally new set of eyes. This year, we visited twice- and still feel like we could've visited another time to be able to cover it all. Our hack is sliding in around 8am for cooler weather, less crowd and optimum animal visits. A few our highlights this year: -DNR building for aquatic visits and butterfly exhibit -visiting all of the livestock barns and catching the goat, cow and pig shows -interactive activity at the woodworkers association booth- free -rides on the tractor trailer circulator (it runs nonstop throughout the state fairgrounds and is a fun way to see everything that's going on) Plus, the kids love it. -FFA barn is chock full of kids activities like free putt putt golf, tractor play area and coloring area alongside a baby animal petting area -soybean Alliance exhibit was super interactive and built out- featured a play grocery store, combine, etc Overall, another fabulous year at the state fair. Can't wait for the next round and to have my kids join Mini 4H when the time comes. read more

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Love the $2 tuesdays!!!! $10 parking and right across the street to the entrance. Gotta start with the expensive deep fried cheese, then onto the corn, deep fried Oreo, snickers and Reeces. This year we got a butterfinger funnel cake!!! Got s'mores cookies overpriced like everything here:( Over all another successful trip!!! read more

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I no longer live in Indiana, but I had to make my return to the Indiana State Fair this year. I've noticed that over the years, the Indiana State Fair ups its game little by little, and I really appreciate the effort. It shows. My favorites from 2025: -The splash pad for cooling off. You need it in August. -United State of Indiana designing and selling the official merchandise. They do a bang-up job, and I love the variety of items. I don't always want a t-shirt, but I'm more likely to buy when the design is in the form of a magnet or sticker. -The Taste of the Fair food options: This year I was enticed by the Cinnamon Toast Cookie Butter Pretzel Bites (blue ribbon winner) and Fried Pickle and Golden Oreos (honorable mention). I also appreciate that there are a few vegan options from a couple of vendors. It's better than nothing! -The Glass Barn, which includes a scavenger hunt around the exhibit. If you complete it, you receive a ridiculously fun "Bean There Done That" trucker hat. I've gotten a few for my spouse over the years, and he was delighted by this year's hat. -The wood carvers. One was doing "extreme wood carving" near the Dairy Barn while a group was working outside of the arts exhibit. They had some impressive items to look at as well as affordable prices for those interested in buying something. -Petting sheep in the FFA building. I love the opportunities to pet/love on the farm animals! -The $5 fair food options. I really appreciate The Indiana State Fair working with vendors and finding ways to keep the fair affordable for folx. Based on this year's experience, I'll continue making appearances at the Indiana State Fair and hope it continues to up its game. read more

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Notes from the 2025 State Fair: We went on $2 Tuesday, which offers little specials at all the booths. Otherwise, some of the food pricing borders a little absurd -- $20 for a "bucket" of lemonade?! I'd go get the insta-worthy looking brunch bloody mary instead (however I didn't this time -- jsut wasn't hungry enough. but it did look super fun.) But my favorite is still the Dairy Barn -- $.50 chocolate milk! And their $2 special key lime milkshake was crazy big. We didn't do rides, but did go in most of the buildings -- fine arts, animals, pioneer village, DNR exhibit, special music exhibit, and more. Just looping around once got us 12k steps. ;) Fun times! #ReviewsByRL read more

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While visiting the Indiana State Fair i stopped by the art of music experience. This is a must see for music enthusiasts. When you walk through the doors of the exhibit you immediately feel like you're in a music museum. There are album covers and life size pictures of artists from all genres spread throughout the exhibit. Along with the pictures there are brief descriptions of the art. There is also a pop up shop where you can purchase vinyl. read more

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Indiana state Fair 2025! Went for $2. I haven't been since before COVID and a lot of things are way more pricer than I remember. Overall still had a good time. Glad we went early and paid for parking early. read more

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The fairgrounds always surprises me! So many versatile spaces all on one property. It's not fancy or elegant, but it has good bones, is clean, and accessible! read more

Just left the state fair. Got there as it opened at 9. New entrance off fall creek/binford when going south. Staff as friendly and helpful as ever. The grounds were clean as were the restrooms. Multiple waved as we left. Definitely displayed Hoosier hospitality!!!!! It was a hot day so we looked for breaks in air conditioning or shade. And of course adult beverages!!!!! I had my traditional pork chop sandwich. Kroger was giving out watermelon cups. I was set for the day. Loved the music/vinyl exhibit. As saw 4-h rabbits & cattle. It's one of the best fairs!!!!! read more

While the Indiana State Fairgrounds host a variety of events throughout the year like Indy Fuel Games, Christmas Nights of Lights, Indiana Home and Garden Show, and a variety of expos, the one it's obviously known best for is the Indiana State Fair. Despite large crowds and often times hot weather, the event staff and volunteers do an amazing job hosting the fair every year! They keep buildings up to date with regular upgrades, maintain a clean facility, and direct traffic as efficiently as possible. A few of my Indiana State Fair favorites for those that may be visiting for the first time: the "Taste of the Fair" map they put out every year with a map of unique foods, FFA Pavilion mini golf, walking throughout the animal stalls, and showing up for the free shows and entertainment. This year I loved seeing the Dock Dogs competition and Clydesdale show, but in the past I've also enjoyed the variety of musical acts on the free stage. read more

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I've been to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for all sorts of events, including flea markets, dog shows and a light show around Christmas time. But this place is mostly known for being the venue of the Indiana State Fair every year. In my head, I call the Indiana State Fair the "Indiana State Unfair," because it's unfair how much money I end up spending here. Yet, I keep going back year after year. That being said, it is possible to enjoy the fair for cheap if you know where to go. One of my go-to frugal places at the fair is the FFA (Future Farmers of America) barn. It is here where you can play a round of miniature golf for free, play at an indoor playground, and buy snacks for cheap: a bag of popcorn for $1 and a huge soft serve ice cream for $3. Right next to the barn is usually free lawn games, and this year, there were some bounce houses and a bubble machine to enjoy. This area also has an excellent beer garden, so you can get yourself a nice drink while you watch your children play for free and pat yourself on the back for saving money. If you're here for the fair, just know that there is something here for everyone. There are so many things to do and see, it's very difficult to do and see them all in one day. Plus, there are lots of buildings with air conditioning to duck into when the summer sun gets to be too overbearing. During fair time, every nook and cranny of this place has something interesting to discover. read more

Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center - Vegetable division - Skating Rinks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Love the Indiana State Fair. The midway for rides, free stage for music, games, vendors, fun fun fun food! The Dairy Barn is our favorite for food and milkshakes. We also like looking at the 4-H projects. This year we went twice. It's a good savings if you buy your tickets early. But, if you don't, there are still savings nights along the way - we went on $3 rides, admission, and food night for our second night. Parking has been easier going to the north end of the fairgrounds. This year that was a 20+minute experience. Perhaps the 38th street south entrance is now the best??? read more

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We had to pay for a parking permit at $50 And the parking was horrendous They never looked at the parking permit Gates were always open I think they need to refund the price of the parking pass Jim Leopard read more

I will start with the fact that the barns were extremely well ventilated and nice in general. For our in particular event, ARBA it was so discouraging to learn that the fairgrounds booked 3 of their largest events this same weekend. Parking was not able to accomodate our need in a capacity to appropriately load and tend to rabbits. With our event spread through many elderly and children, it was not safe for them to be walking after dark to get to their vehicle. Nor were they able to. It truly added an unnecessary stress felt by all. People parked where ever they could find a couple feet. It was next to impossible to have 2 way traffic to get around. We had 1 to 2 entrances to use but one could not be used after dark as it was the christmas lights. Unfortunately the lack of event management by the fairgrounds impacted this event greatly. read more

No Free WiFi. If you want WiFi here you have to pay $50 or more for a bundle just to get wifi.

For the 2025 State Fair (I've gone every year since 2003), I purchased a fair bundle. This bundle included the parking, 4 fair entry tickets, and $50 in "Fair Bucks." When we arrived, the I easily showed my device for the parking, and entrance to the fair. That went smoothly. When we passed through the ticket entry process, I asked the gentleman scanning us in, "How do we use these Fair Bucks." The gentleman asked two other fair representatives, and NO ONE KNEW what I was referring to. So, I went inside to SEVERAL eatery vendors, the main ticket booth (to redeem the $50), SEVERAL ride officials inside the park, and finally, the administration building (where vendors go to get cashed out, fair patrons are assisted, etc.) NO ONE HAD A CLUE as to how to use these Fair Bucks, nor how to redeem the $50 of MY CASH to use!!! I was given an email to contact a person in the Billing department the following week. This was the last day of the fair, as my reasoning for attending (like years past) was to attend the Gospel Music Concert held at the Free Stage. After many days of NOT receiving a response from to the email I sent to a particular person in Billing, I went to the official Indiana State Fair website and lodged a message there, explaining what happened, and asked to understand how to get my funds back that I could not use because NO ONE KNEW A THING ABOUT THIS! I received an email response a few days later indicating that they were sorry for my experience, but there are no refunds, EVEN IF IT THEIR FAULT!!!!!! Basically they just thanked me for my $50 donation to the Indiana State Fair. And basically that was it!!!!! The email seemed to indicate that saying they apologize would make everything alright, and almost like my donation to the Indiana State Fair was appreciated, as they shared that they cannot give a refund then I did not forfeit by way of not attending for any reason. I did MY part, but I'm the only one receiving consequence for DOING MY PART. When I PURCHASED the ticket bundle online FROM the official website, there were NO SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS as to how to use them, other than saying that vendors would be able to scan my QR Code and redeem funds for purchases. NOT ONE out of the possible 40 vendors that i visited knew ANYTHING regarding any "Fair Bucks," nor how to redeem them. It was like I spoke a foreign language to them. The email thanked me for my patronage, and shared that they looked forward to my attendance next year. And that was All... This is the worst experience the Fair I've ever had, and I've lived in 4 states over my lifetime, and I've attended State Fairs in each. INDIANA is NOT a candidate for fairness regarding their patrons. Once you gain access, they've got your money at that point, and they're keeping it, regardless if they're at fault for any instance or not. It's just a fact. They don't CARE about their patrons. They're just there to provide a big space for people to come participate in fair activities. That's all. If you go, please don't expect any customer service, or for them to do the right thing, should you need assistance. That's it. And that has ended my connection to the Indiana State Fair. As well as I plan to share my experience with the extreme mass number of connections i have in this state. read more

I would like to give it a 4-star review, but I can only give it a generous 3. The good, even great, was the circus! And this was on "2 dollar Tuesday." It was free and thrilling! I don't want to give it away but they are some brave people! Even 5 stars are not enough! The Arts building was 3-4 floors of fabulous artwork. Like going to a museum. This was a great place to start. The DNR building and staff were excellent. One young lady gave us an excellent poster. She was terrific! Onto the bad...The part you've been patiently waiting for. The entrance gatekeeper ( an older woman) screamed, "Hold it." When we almost left without our parking ticket. This was after she got rude when we asked where the handicapped parking was. That set the stage. They ushered us through the place like cattle. Kind of made me think about how the Nazis may have run their concentration camps minus the bullwhips. There was a distinct feeling of impersonalization that made me feel like, well, "screw you too." The prices are inflated like being at the airport or riding on an Amtrak train. What do you get for an $18 rib-eye sandwich? No little bag of chips that's for sure. You get A rude, unsmiling guy who grumps when you ask for the condiments that you ordered and are on the ticket. Then he practically throws them at you. The sandwich, in all fairness, was pretty good. The worst experience we encountered was at the funnel cake stand. This came at the very end of our State Fair experience. There wouldn't even be a review, which is a bit of a rant at this point, without this guy. But when something sticks in your craw because you feel humiliated by a person, that's where these little reviews are born. This guy charged us $9 for this funnel cake. Accepted, we know the game. I reached for a napkin that was sort of behind the counter. He practically slaps my hand like I'm in the cookie jar and yells, "We ask for those!" This is right after my ex-wife asked for one, and he says nothing, then swipes one off and gives it to her. Like she is an inconvenience. My advice is this: while you're spending money there, and it's going to be a lot, even on $2 Tuesday. Watch how these vendors are acting before you walk up to them, and give them your hard-earned money. After all, there are other funnel cake stands and ribeye joints. If they are pleasant, then you will have a pleasant meal or a snack. If not, then you are going to feel lousy when you're eating their inflated crap. I'm not sure if I will go back, but I probably will feel better and hope for a fun time by next summer. read more

I will NEVER attend an event at this location again.... We were at an event this past weekend at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds had scheduled 6-7 events for the same weekend - light show, gun show, Christmas market, rabbit show, reptile show, hockey games. Parking was a nightmare because they overscheduled. There was also an area of a few hundred parking spots that were inaccessible because of construction. Most people that were attending our event were in line waiting for 1 to 3 hours - a line that reached from the Fairgrounds entrance on 38th Street to just get somewhere close to the area where we were "supposed" to park. Two of the days, we had to park 0.3 miles away from our event building because there were no parking spaces anywhere near our building - that was after driving for an hour to our area to find that there were no spaces and we had to go back to park near the entrance. We are in our 70s so this was a big deal. Many, many people had the same issue. read more

For the people who came to the Indiana state fairgrounds on 11/14 to 11/16 expecting to have a fun time could not avoid the traffic and parking disaster which was caused by fairgrounds management, or mismanagement without apology. read more

2025 ARBA convention. Parking was a mess. People carting rabbits across 38th st was nuts. Only one entrance open. Standing in line for lunch was not even an option. Most disorganized event the fair grounds has done. They knew we'll in advance and over booked the grounds. I guess all they cared about was the financial gain for the weekend. read more

Parking, was crazy. I paid $50 for parking pass and couldn't park but one day. This was a big ARBA event and there was to be no other events and this whole area was booked read more

Everyone is talking about, and it's totally worth it! Go to the fair and try the pickle pizza! So Good I wish we would've went here first because I was so full I couldn't eat much. It's right by the butterfly garden. We also tried the dilly dog in front of the horse barn(I think). It was huge and piping hot had to wait to let it cool but also a good one. I mean its corn dog with a pickle what's not to love. We also had the mini donuts, tenderloin sliders, funnel cake, cheese curds and ribbon fries. I'm so full and miserable from eating too much. For the first time this year you can walk around with alcohol!!! Way to catch up to the times indiana! We had pink lemonade slushy from Bison and Brews 10/10 read more

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We attended ARBA convention at the fairgrounds November 14-19. Facilities were great, but the fairgrounds had scheduled 6-7 events for the same time making parking a nightmare!!! We circled the parking lot daily for 40+ minutes and still had to walk at least half a mile. Many resorted to parking on sidewalks, grass, medians...it was AWFUL!! read more

Facilities were great, but experience spoiled by charging us for a $50 parking pass that was only scanned once!!! In other words, we could have saved $40!!! On Saturday, when it was important for us to be with our rabbits to care for them, as soon as possible, we were stuck in a traffic line, then had to park far away from the barn, across the street!!! What good was our parking pass, when there was no pass line at the gate to put us ahead of those who were not connected with National ARBA Rabbit Convention and paying for a 1 day admission, then to be without our supplies, feed, etc as it was far away in our vehicle!!!??? We needed to leave for a commitment, as our pass was to allow re-entry, but we didn't leave, missing our commitment, because we were afraid of it taking too long to get into lot again & being in bumper to bumper traffic!!! read more

I just felt i need to make sure a complaint was made and was not sure where to actually make it to. ARBA had their huge national event planned with you guys for at least a year possibly longer. Its a massive event with 26000 rabbits and thousands of people. Why would you book multiple other events at the same time and not have adequate parking for the biggest paying event. This was the worse ran parking situation that I have ever seen at a convconventioI paidbfor a parking pass $50 but could have parked for $10 the e tire time i was there because noone checked my pass except for 1 day. Seems as though Indiana State Fairgrounds was more worried about $$$ than whether or not their parking lot / parking attendants could handle it. You really dropped the ball as far as parking was concerned. read more

The last time I was at the Indiana State Fair, I was Senior in the high school band participating in the band contest in front of the grandstand. Since then I have traveled the country for work and the military before finally moving back to my home state in 2019. Seeing the fair again brings back those four years of being at the fair, marching in the band contest and placing 7th (out of over 100 bands) in my freshman year. We do anything for our granddaughters and with school about to start this was the perfect outing for us. I will start with the parking at $10. Why so much? You can expect to have a bit of a walk from the parking area since no shuttles are provided to carry you to the entrance so wear some comfortable shoes. We started our fair experience with a ride on the Observation Wheel. It is like a giant Ferris wheel but each car is completely enclosed with air conditioning and holds 4 or 6 people. The cost is $10 a person which I thought was a little high for a party of four. How about a discount for filling the car. The wheel is over 150 ft high so we were able to get a wonderful view of the entire fair layout. Next the granddaughters wanted slushes. These are the ones that you can mix about 15 flavors together if you want. I had a few sips and they were pretty good. The girls were all about the rides so we hit the shuttle (which was free) and it took us all the way to the midway. We got to see the a lot of the fair along the way and some exhibits we wanted to come back to after the midway. The ride ticket line was long. They only had one ticket booth open and only one person in that booth working. The prices were what you would expect. One ticket was $1.50, 20 tickets for $25 or 50 tickets for $60. The rides took 2-6 tickets each. We opted for 100 tickets, which ended up being more than enough. We gave away what we had left before leaving the area. The lines for rides weren't bad at all when we got there but as the day went on the lines were longer. So early is definitely better. Our experience with getting food in the ride area wasn't good. They advertised chicken on a stick but when we asked for that they say we don't have any. We then asked for their curly fries and they also said they didn't have them either. My wife ended up getting chicken tenders and plain fries. Both were luke warm and greasy. $15 for food that went straight to the trash can. The food we got outside of the ride area was much better especially the funnel cakes. We also asked for fried Oreos at another food booth within the Midway but again, all sold out. We did get Caricatures of the girls and they were wonderful. The man doing the drawings has Turrets and it is amazing watching him work. You could get them with or without color. $20 for a drawing and $25 for a drawing with color. We wanted them to have something to remember the day and we know each time they look at these hanging in their rooms they will remember grandma and grandpa taking them to the fair. After the midway we went to the Pioneer Village. They showed you what farming was like in the 1800's with all the old equipment and tools. Also showed quilting, rug making, wood baskets and bowls. There is also a section in the village for children. They learn about farming and feeding animals. There is a petting zoo and there will be pony rides starting on Wednesday. This section is geared more for younger kids but our 11 year olds enjoyed it too. You may want to get some real maple syrup, or honey here. They also have a booth where you can get "real" milk, ice cream or a glass of milk for 50 cents. The booth sign said they fill any baby bottles for free. We did get our salt water taffy before leaving. Flavours include, vanilla, butter pecan, black walnut, cinnamon, strawberry, chocolate, anise, cherry and peppermint. Expect to spend more than you think. There is nothing cheap but your family will have fun and create memories that will last forever. The fairgrounds was clean, there were stations offering sanitizer, and sunscreen. They have lots of indoor restrooms, just use the map to locate them. There is a lot we did not see but after 6 hours we were tired and the girls were ready to head home. There is an app and website that you may want to look at for event schedules, activities or places of interest so you could plan your day. We went spur of the moment so nothing planned in advance. Whichever way you do it, planning ahead or just getting in the car and going, you will have a great time. read more

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Ah, another season at the Indiana State Fair. Thurs. with $3 gate admission and $3 food specials. FYI. This year there is no free shuttle. It took me 30 minutes to park in the infield at 10:30 AM on Thursday. Upon coming from the infield, I first saw the courtyard of basketball games. This year's theme is Indiana basketball. I tried to roll the mini basketball into any of the 6 baskets. I thought the unique basketball games and the gigantic basketballs and goals were very creative and fun to try. Also, I explored the chilled indoor exhibit about basketball and really liked some of the decorated basketballs and the infinity room. Let's talk about the $3 fair food specials! You got to purchase before they sell out. I bought a jumbo soft pretzel (they are working on developing a gluten-free option) at Ben's, 1/3 order of taters at King's Taters, and a new option of (5) Gobble Gobble!'s sweet chili turkey meatballs, which the sauce could have been better. As for dinner, I also tried Gobble Gobble!'s new special creation of $9 Mac Daddy Empanada (mac n' cheese and turkey from the leg); it was good. Along the street of the Expo Hall, I ordered a veggie plate of skinned red potatoes, sautéed onions, and sautéed mushrooms at Sirlion Tips tent; warning: have the mushroom side of the plate away from you as it is in liquid. To the right of Gobble Gobble! food truck is the vendor with 5 for $10 lemon drop drizzle, which was absolutely delicious because the couple behind me would not accept my offer for $2 for one of theirs but was later kind to give me one. There were other new food creations that were probably all about $10 like The Dirty Dog, which I think I should have tried. I did not find the deep fried corn on a stick. On a different note, there is now Barbie Cakes but not for me. Recommendation: Display the price of your seasonal creative food on your big sign so people are not waiting in line to ask about the price! Let's quench our thirst. The DNR water bottle water fountain needed its filter changed so I was guided to the water bottle station west of the street near the corner by the whipped vendor and the free stage. There were 8 hoses filtering warm water; I wish it was cold during that sunny day. Recommendation: I think in this period of Covid and germs that the fairground should upgrade their water fountains to include water bottle fillers for cold water. I like the outside sculptures. The two Indiana signs for portraits were new and interesting. I thought it would be a good weather day for going to the fair. It was not too crowded even with the youth groups so I went inside to cool down while enjoying the activities in the following buildings: The Glass Barn had good activities to learn about farming. Also, I saw some of the two-story 4-H creative contest entries. In a building with vendors, creative cheese designed art, and canned basketball themed designs, I bought local (Mooresville) honey sticks. I was surprised to see doTERRA and learned more about their products. That building closes at 8 PM. I was awed by the mass number of rabbits in the Expo Hall. It was the best to look at the cute and different rabbits! This year, I do not care for the limited size in carry-in bags. I understand why but it was hard carrying two small bags with the small $3 food items for a meal. I was disappointed that there is a $3 admission fee (but kids age 2 and younger are free) to enter the Parakeet Encounter. So how many stars should I give the Indiana State Fair this year? It is all about the fair food, right? And the rabbits? So, I give them 4 stars. read more

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We had the best day at the state fair. It was the first day for this year. I loved seeing all of the young people with their animals. They did an amazing job presenting them. The food was great and there was so much to see and do. I would highly recommend coming here for a great fun filled day. read more

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I can say I've only been to one event here - the Indiana State Fair- but there are other options throughout the year. This was my second visit to the fair and there is plenty to do. We walked a lot so I was definitely grateful for the free shuttle towards the end. We arrived early on a Saturday and it was crowded but not too bad. We stopped in at Hook's drugstore to look around and for our first stop with a Taste of the Fair items. The iced coffee float was delicious and refreshing as we walked around. We stopped in a few of the animal barns to look around. We also made the obligatory stop at the dairy barn for a glass of milk - for just 50 cents. We did spend about 20 minutes in the Hoosier Lottery area scratching tickets to spin the big wheel. We ended up with a branded yardstick and no actual money but it was pretty fun. We then tried our next Taste of the Fair food - the Bavarian cream puff. This won my vote! It was the perfect amount of sweet. We were in search of the Pioneer Village because I remembered that being fun, but we stopped by the butterfly garden, DNR area and store, and saw the Budweiser Clydesdales along the way. The Pioneer Village is always fun and educational and I bought a handcrafted broom. We were definitely ready by the shuttle at this point so we waited at the nearest stop for about 2 minutes and we got on. We looped back around to the front where we entered and made a stop for a fruity pebbles funnel cake on the way out. It was exactly what it sounds like and it was delicious. Plan to walk a lot and shell out some money but it's a fun summer experience. We are moving out of state soon so it was nice to have one last Indiana State Fair adventure. read more

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HOORAY! The INDIANA STATE FAIR is here! This year since it started earlier AND the weather was absolutely gorgeous we went day one! We looked at mules, cows, goats... we ate pork, bison, and steak tips... we saw giant cheese blocks (prior to the carving)... we watched the Yacht Rock Bands ... we saw amazing lego creations... we did soooo many things and still have to go back to see more.. It felt like things were spaced out more, which is nice given the pandemic issue. Go! Have fun! Watch livestock judging! Enjoy! read more

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The fair is an awesome place to have a family outing. They have tons of stuff to do like concerts, shows, animals, and contest. They also have some of the best food you will find in one place including fried oreos, donut burgers, elephant ears, funnel cakes, pretzels, lemon shake ups and turkey legs. The grounds are relatively clean and this year they offered free tractor rides around the grounds, which use to cost $1/ride in previous years. They have special nights such as First Responder Night where admission was free for first responders. Additionally, the have certain nights where you could purchase a wrist band and ride all the rides you want that day. They did also offer discounted advanced ticket purchases on-line, which I did take advantage of to save a few bucks. The Fair had a wide assortment of midway rides for everyone in the family. The Fair has a very visible police/security presence. I felt very safe there. The fair hosts Indiana's 4H livestock competitions where you will find the best horse, best pig and best cow. They also had some decent shows like Babyface and the Beach Boys, which are included with admission, but can get packed. Other attractions included the Budweiser clydesdales, DNR fish, a petting/feeding zoo, pole vault competition, a rodeo, demolition derby and horseback rides (for an additional fee). I recommend visiting during a non peak time like a weekday during the day time. It is definitely a difference in the crowd during the day and the crowd at night. It gets much more packed at night and a bit more rowdy. Parking is a bit steep at $10, but oh well. My only concern about the grounds was that there was no concern for COVID. Outside of the occasional hand sanitizer station, there were no other COVID precautions being taken. Less than 5% of the visitors wore a mask and most of them had it on incorrectly and would have probably been better off not wearing one. I am glad that they decided to have the fair this year. It was a great time and the food is amazing. If you are in Indiana, visiting this place is a must. There is something there for everyone. You are guaranteed to have an unforgettable time. read more

I went to the Indiana State Fair on opening day. https://www.indianastatefair.com/p/state-fair. The weather was beautiful. I walked so much and still didn't get to everything, so I see another visit in my future. When I was there the swine barn was empty and no fish on display at the DNR Building. I didn't see many horses, but they were there. Lots of sheep, mules, and donkeys to visit though. The trolley is free this year and I took advantage of it several times. So many food options but I chose for the day...a pepper jack grilled cheese and a scoop of butter pecan ice cream from the Dairy Bar, BBQ pork split from the Pork Tent, and I made sure to stop and get a glass of tomato juice from the Red Gold booth. If you are a Coca-Cola product person, bring your own as I only saw Pepsi products. Before I left I made sure to stop by the Dance Stage and see the Circle City Cloggers. https://www.facebook.com/ccclogger/ I took a few photos, but mostly just took in the day and enjoyed it. Be sure to stop by the fair before it ends on August 22. New to remember this year...they are closed on Monday and Tuesday's. And check out the website before going to see if there are any deals and discounts to use to help make the day a little less expensive. https://www.indianastatefair.com/p/state-fair/deals--discounts read more

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Rude food stand staff towards younger attendees over a minor problems which didn't inquire such rudeness

I love going to the fair and really appreciate that they have discounted days which make it much more affordable if you're going with multiple family members and children. We entered the north side of the fairgrounds and immediately went to a lot of the free children's activities. They have fishing, putt putt golf, Play areas, some soccer practice places, Ping pong tables, and various century farming exhibitions which kept the kids entertained for quite some time. My favorite was the glass barn because of all of the interactive games and the information given for kids to learn about Indiana farmers. Plus it was air conditions which is always nice on a Indiana August day! Some of the other barns have handicrafts and woodworking and a lot of handmade items for sale as well as artisans and musicians which were amazing to peruse. We also enjoyed the little Hans farming experience which kept the kids entertained and gave them an opportunity to ask questions about growing things. We ended up by taking the free trolley around the track to get some fun food at the dairy barn which is always a must when visiting the fair. This trip we didn't get any time to see the animals or some of the various 4-H exhibit but what we loved about the fair is that you can go multiple times and still not have seen everything! It's definitely a highlight of the summer and we plan to go back every year. There are things for young kids and older kids with various interest levels as well as food taste so we know everyone will have a fabulous day! read more

Went to the Indiana Home Show for the first time--and I was wowed by the size of the Indiana State Fairgrounds as a convention space! They managed to build a WHOLE house in there for the show, in addition to gardens and fake patio spaces. I also appreciate that you can walk to the fairgrounds if you are in the MK area (or bike there). You could also take the redline to 42nd street and walk as well. read more

They always charge for parking for the events they book but then never put staff out to direct parking traffic unless it's officially run by the Indiana state fair grounds. Horribly unprofessional if you ask me. When it's their events, it's ok I guess because they try. To note my other times attending...the beer prices are as if you're watching a Colts or Pacers playoff game, food is basic but again expensive, security is typically rude and acts as if they're volunteering(I'd hope), seats are fine depending on where you're at. Never impressed but maybe I'm always here on the bad days. Had to come back and edit this again after hearing that someone got out of there car and cussed out my father in law that was waiting in line. Promoting dangerous conditions after charging your attendants and not directing them. read more

Came here for the state fair, which I happened to stumble upon on my visit to Indianapolis. Really interesting experience, didn't know what to expect but it was pretty cool! Parking was difficult, long lines, ended up parking outside and walking over. Lots of animals and competitions, many rides and fried / junk food, lots of people too. read more

Security had major attitude. Be careful entering after hours. Unmarked car blocked entrance and would not state if they are part of security upon asking. Finally a marked security person arrived and assisted with entrance. read more