Special to 1808Delaware
It’s now less than a month away!
The gates to the 169th Ohio State Fair will open with the annual Opening Day Ceremony on Wednesday, July 24. Fairgoers attending the Ohio State Fair, July 24 through August 4, can enjoy many new experiences, as well as traditional fair favorites.
WHAT’S NEW
In addition to fairgoer favorites like the butter cow and calf, Natural Resources Park, livestock shows, and stellar arts exhibits; there are many new and exciting things at the 2024 Ohio State Fair, listed below in alphabetical order.
Career Pathways Program
he Lausche Youth Exploration Space is always buzzing with endless activities and programming for children. A new addition in 2024 is the career pathway program; see life-size cutouts of personnel in the workforce and learn about their career path. From a space operations officer to a meat inspection training officer these Ohioans are sure to inspire fairgoers of all ages.
Expo 2050 Project Showcase
You may notice that the Ohio Expo Center facility is in the midst of major construction. Visit the Project Showcase in Central Park to see renderings of the new buildings and entrance gate, materials used, and peek into a construction site.
While a few areas on the grounds will look different in 2024 and 2025, fairgoer favorites are still abundant across the grounds. The Taste of Ohio Café will be relocated a little south to the new Taste of Ohio Pavilion & Beer Garden (formerly North Commercial Building). Similarly, exhibits in the Land & Living Building organized by the Ohio Farm Bureau will be incorporated into Little Farmers on the Voinovich Livestock & Trade Center Lawn.
Ohio State Fair History Exhibit in Kasich Hall C
There are many traditions that have stood the test of time at the Ohio State Fair – the butter cow, Smokey Bear, enjoying fair food, and creating memories with friends and family. Take a glimpse at history as you walk through this new exhibit to view historic photos and scale models with “tiny fairs” dating back to the 1800s to see what the fairgrounds looked like a decade ago, a century ago, and even longer.
Mural Competition
The mural competition is a great addition to Fine Arts this year. Entries just closed on June 21 for artists to submit their artwork and then recreate their masterpiece in the form of a mural during the Fair. Artists will paint these murals live during the first weekend of the Fair, July 26-28, on the lawn of the Cox Fine Arts Center.
Nerveless Nocks Thrill Show
Located at the south end of the Mountain Dew Midway, the Nerveless Nocks, world famous for their Giant Sway Pole Show featured on America’s Got Talent Extreme and AGT Season 17, will captivate the audience with midair daredevil stunts performed 80 feet above the ground. This is a show fairgoers won’t want to miss.
New Food Avenue
Want to try a new food, like pickle lemonade, a Cleveland corned beef egg roll, a deep-fried buffalo chicken bomb, or pickle pizza? A collection of the newest food vendors and wild fair fare will be gathered along New Food Avenue, located between the Ohio Lottery Main Street Stage and the north end of the Midway. More new foods, foods on a stick, and deep-fried delights will be available soon.
Poster Contest
A brand new poster contest was introduced to the lineup of competitions this year. Winning artist, Lindsay Boyd was selected as the grand champion. Smaller postcard-sized prints of the artwork will be available for purchase at the official Ohio State Fair gift shops and the All Ohio Arts Gift Shop in the Cox Fine Arts Center. Additionally, the top five finalists will have their posters displayed in Kasich Hall C.
Run Like a Girl 5k and 10K presented by Avina Women’s Care
On Sunday, Aug. 4, runners will gather at the Historic Crew Stadium and race through the fairgrounds to get a behind the scenes look at the Fair before the gates open to the public. Register today.
Sheepdog Spectacular
The Dog House has become a very popular attraction at the Ohio State Fair. In addition to the Marvelous Mutts show featuring performing rescue dogs, the Dog House will also feature Sheepdog Spectacular, an entertaining, interactive, and ag-centered sheepdog show featuring working sheepdogs herding sheep.
Strolling Entertainers
We won’t spoil the surprise, but fairgoers will see a few new faces strolling around the grounds providing laughs and fortunes.
Taste of Ohio Pavilion & Beer Garden
The Taste of Ohio Café will be moving a little south this year to become the Taste of Ohio Pavilion & Beer Garden. Featuring many of the delicious cuisines offered in the Taste of Ohio Café, the pavilion will have an expanded beer garden offering local, Ohio brews and wine to pair with every meal. Be sure to stop by in the evenings and enjoy a meal and beverages to the tune of live music, and browse beautiful horticultural and floral exhibits created by Ohioans.
Tiny Art Show
Fairgoers with an eye for art won’t want to miss the brand new Tiny Art Show in the Cox Fine Arts Center. Each artists accepted into the Fine Arts Exhibition was given the opportunity to submit a small piece of art, priced at $250 or less, to hang for sale in the exhibit. This is a great way to support local artists and start or enhance an art collection on a budget.
Wheels of Agriculture Game Show
Located in Kiddieland, this exciting, fast-paced, TV-style game show is fertilized with comedy and shenanigans which yield a bumper crop of prizes! The Wheels of Agriculture Game Show harvests smiles, laughter, and knowledge for all ages.
The 2024 Ohio State Fair is July 24 through Aug. 4. More information about the Fair can be found at ohiostatefair.com. The 2024 Ohio State Fair Media Guide will be available soon.
A full list of events and attractions with times and locations can be found at https://www.ohiostatefair.com/events.
ADMISSION
Advance-sale admission tickets can be purchased online, no-fees attached, at Ticketmaster.com/OhioStateFair or at participating O’Reilly Auto Parts Stores for just $8. Advance-Sale Ride-All-Day Wristbands can also be purchased online for $33. Advance-sale admission and ride deals are only available through July 23.
