The 2019 Indiana State Fair is a go/see/do/ok run
Hold up: Have you bookmarked our post How To Save Money At The Indiana State Fair yet? It’s one of our top posts every year and contains all of the perfect tips for enjoying the 2019 Indiana State Fair on the cheap. Read on reader...
Gather up your kids, friends, energy, and appetite because the Indiana State Fair is here! The Fair kicked off Friday, August 2nd, and will stay open until Sunday, August 18th. My family and I have already spent a day there and can’t wait to go back! There is so much to do that we couldn’t do it all in one day. We’ll definitely be making multiple trips to get in everything that we want to do. There are several new exhibits this year, a few that I’m quite excited about! Additionally, they have different entertainment every day - from the Hoosier Grandstand to the BetIndiana stage, to the Circus and the new Super Cinema.
So I grabbed my crew, tied up my tennies {trust me, wear them} secured my belt bag {or as we knew them: Fanny pack - it’s okay, they are cool again!} and poured out all my mid-30s mom energy into a full fair day. I was tired, covered in dust, smelled like a farm, and deeply regretting my deep-fried decisions, but I sure was happy. Going to the fair is something I did as a child and now take my children to enjoy. There is something nostalgic and thrilling that brings me back year after year.
Heroes in the Heartland
The 2019 fair theme is Heroes in the Heartland, presented by Indiana Donor Network. Heroes in the Heartland honors Hoosier heroes who have made a positive impact in this state. These heroes include farmers, first responders, teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, Armed Forces members, and Veterans. The Cultural Heroes exhibit will be celebrating and honoring these heroes every day! If you want to honor a hero, you can upload their photo and information here! The State Fair will feature them in their “Who’s Your Hero?” story campaign.
Remembering the Fallen is a new exhibit that will be available from August 2-11. It’s a photographic exhibit honoring our military’s fallen men and women from The War on Terror (9/11/2001 – Present). This somber and reflective memorial features both personal and military photos of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Marvel and DC Comic fans, this is also your year! Super City is a new exhibit that features a different superhero each day of the fair. This is a hands-on, interactive exhibit at the Corteva Agriscience Harvest Pavilion. Check it out for a chance to meet your favorite superhero in person! Personally, we are hoping to get a chance to meet The Flash, Thor, Iron Man, and Wonder Woman.
The Big Top Circus
It’s back again, with brand-new acts this year! Big Top Circus is at the fair again for another fun year full of juggling and stunts. The kids & I hopped over for the first show of the season, we arrived about 30 minutes in advance and were able to easily grab seats. There are 3 free shows per day at 1 pm, 4 pm, and 7 pm. Be prepared to wait in a possibly longer line to get into the show (so show up in advance!). This year you can pay $5 for a Fastpass, which allows you and your family to skip the line and guarantees seats! Fastpasses are available daily and can be purchased at the circus tent. Although we didn’t have a problem getting seats without a fast pass, it was on a Friday for the 1 pm show, a weekend or evening show might be more populated.
New Fair Eats
There are some delicious new foods at the fair this year. The deep-fried cookie ice cream sandwich by Urick Concessions, the pork split by Indiana Pork Producers, and the caramel coffee milkshakes by the Dairy Bar just to name a few of my family’s favorites. We tried them ALL. I’m also going to suggest the Bison Hushpuppies, another favorite and only 3 for $5.
BetIndiana Free Stage
“I'm down on bended knee…” Don’t mind me while I’m over here belting out lyrics to one of my favorite junior high songs (we’re in a no-judgment zone here, right?). I can reimagine my 1994 self, permed hair and all, on August 14th when Boys II Men performs on the BetIndiana Stage, for free. Grab your girlfriends and windbreakers, for an epic 90s night!
Don’t worry if you aren’t into that smooth R&B, there are several other musicians coming to this stage. There is a little bit of something from a variety of genres with the Indiana Wind Symphony, Switchfoot, David Nail, Melissa Etheridge, Everclear, The Guess Who, and many more.
Activities for the Kids
With all the many options that the Indiana State Fair has for kids, it’s hard to list them all! So I’ve narrowed down some of our favorites.
Little Hands on the Farm: an interactive, mock farm teaching kids about the benefits of farming
Visiting the Butterfly Garden and fishing {hi Clint!} at the DNR building
Petting the animals at Animal Town
The scavenger hunt in the Glass Barn {all free photo opportunities and chances to win prizes during their Chat with a Farmer time}
The arcade in the Purdue Extension building
The Pop-Up Public Place with soccer, ping-pong, cornhole, and more!
K9 Crew Trick Dog Show in the Anderson Family Fun Park
My family had a great time. There was no shortage of things to do, but it’s impossible to include them all. It’s also impossible to experience it just by reading. So get up and get your family over to the fair, I promise you won’t regret it!
MORE INFO: The 2019 Indiana State Fair runs now-August 18, 2019 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, which are located at 38th Street and Fall Creek Parkway. We’d love to give you the rundown on ticket pricing and parking but frankly, the State Fair website is your best option for these details so here’s the link to their site. Also, we highly recommend downloading the Indiana State Fair app to your smartphone for trip planning. It contains the day’s schedule, a full map of activities/venues and so much more than we can explain here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jamie Ward is the founder of the blog Fields and Heels, and a social media manager. As a mom + stepmom, she writes frequently about her blended family. Jamie's husband is a pastor so she also has a heart for ministry, family and volunteering. For fun Jamie is constantly in search of the best local coffee, ideas for date nights, and her next photography spot. Discover Jamie on Instagram.
