Saturday at the Ohio State Fair ☀️ 🎪 🎢 🎡 🎠 🍔 🍟 🥤 🌭 🍕 🍦 🍭 🍺 🇺🇸 😄

Summary

The Ohio State Fair is consistently ranked as one of the best ... state ... fairs ... in ... America. By acreage, it's one of the five largest fairs in the country. And a million people visit it each year.

Last year's attendees came from each of Ohio's 88 counties, from all 50 states, and from as far away as 26 other countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, and others, according to Ticketmaster sales data.

Map of the Fair

Here is a map of the grounds.

Directions, Parking, Tickets, Timing

Take exit 111 (17th Avenue) off of I-71. Turn west (toward the McDonald's).

Parking is $10 whether you pay in advance or on-site. It's generally not too bad getting in and out of the fair. You generally get an excellent spot, too, early in the mornings. There are cops everywhere and they will let you know where to park.

Tickets are $12 at the gate or $8 in advance. You can also buy 3- and 12-day admission tickets in advance for $20 and $75, respectively. All advance tickets are available May 1 through July 22.

I've scheduled this meetup from 9 to 3, but you can obviously come late or leave early if you want. They will also stamp your hand for free same-day re-admission if you want.

The fair is a big place. You will get plenty of steps in at this event, so be prepared to do some walking!

Outside Items

From the FAQ:

• Bags

"Purses, backpacks, book bags, coolers, strollers, etc. are permitted, but are subject to search. Bag searches will also be conducted for guests entering concerts and events in the WCOL Celeste Center."

• Outside Food and Beverage

"You may bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages. Glass bottles and containers are not permitted on grounds."

I like to bring a disposable plastic bottle of water with me and refill it on the grounds as I go.

What's New at the Fair

They've spent the last couple years doing major construction at the fair, and most if not all of it should be completed by the start of this year's fair. They've been massively overhauling what's located at the heart of the fairgrounds just north of Kiddleland and just west of the Midway, they're supposed to also have completed improvements to the Dairy Building.

In the center of the fairgrounds, there's supposed to be a new food hall, which I would consider to be the centerpiece of the whole shebang. It's supposed to include "multi-purpose dining and event space and incubator kitchens on the first floor, and additional dining and event space on the second story." Furthermore, "both levels [will] include outdoor dining on a patio or balcony."

A new "Town Square" and surrounding area will also feature a permanent "Ohio-themed carousel" that will also be "complete with ample shade and seating." The new Dairy Building will be air-conditioned and add public restrooms, a universal changing table, and other new amenities.

Four hundred and sixty million dollars have been spent on these improvements and renovations, and I expect they will be very cool!

Where We'll Meet

At no later than 9 a.m., I'll be standing by the giant cardinal just inside Cardinal Gate 1, then we'll wander down to Tracey's (see below). If you come late, Tracey's is where you'll find us (DM me or drop a note in the comments if you need help finding us after you arrive).

Note: There's a smaller Tracey's booth near the main entrance. This is not the Tracey's location we'll be meeting at. You will have to walk down to the Bricker Marketplace to get to the correct Tracey's. There's more information on this, below, in the "What We'll Do" section.

If you want to come later in the day, drop me a note and I'll help you navigate to us or I'll come find you if that's feasible.

What We'll Do

This will be sort of a soft itinerary, depending on the interests of the group. The following is based on last year's fair schedule, and might need to be changed depending on this year's schedule. But the overall fair schedule doesn't normally change that radically year-over-year.

• 9:00 a.m. - Tracey's

Tracey's is located at the northernmost part of the "WNCI Food Highway," just south of Brown Arena and at the northern corner of the Bricker Marketplace. They have a covered area with picnic tables where you can sit. They have one of the most varied food selections at the fair. They serve breakfast in the mornings, including eggs, bacon, and pancakes. We'll meet here and start our day by socializing over coffee and, if you want, breakfast.

Last year, the pancakes with bacon was $7. You got two pancakes that I would describe as average-sized, and a couple strips of bacon. They gave me extra syrup for free. Both the pancakes and the bacon were actually pretty good. Their coffee is generally good, too. They also serve their coffee in Styrofoam cups, which I like because good coffee is more important to me than the environment.

I've posted pics, below, of last year's Tracey's menu, as well as a picture of the venue itself relative to the main entrance of the Bricker Marketplace (this entrance faces the Celeste Center).

• 10:00 a.m. - Kasich Hall

Here they have the Ohio State Fair history exhibit, which is very cool. This building also hosts the creative exhibits, including quilts, cakes and pastries, and fair posters. Finally, events like girls' baton competitions, girls' cheerleading, youth choir, and youth boxing (my favorite) are held here.

• 11:00 a.m. - Lausche Youth Exploration Space

This building features 4-H exhibits, Boy and Girl Scout exhibits, and various science exhibits, with the latter including exhibits from COSI and the Ohio State Physics Department. You can also buy Girl Scout cookies here!

• 12:00 a.m. - Bricker Marketplace

Bricker Marketplace is the fair's main flea market. It's a huge indoor shopping area with a food court at its center. The ODOT booth is here, and I always like to check and see if they have any maps I want. Because Bricker is air-conditioned, it's a good place to stop for lunch. There are booths here with burgers, pizza, chicken, Asian food, and alcoholic beverages.

• 1:00 p.m. - Cox Fine Arts

There are art displays here -- paintings, drawings, sculptures, and such. I always like going through here, and people usually like the displays here.

• 2:00 p.m. - Natural Resources Park

The Natural Resources Park is next to Kiddieland, and I think it's the best area of the fair. It's certainly a very popular area. The Timber Show is popular, though I confess to finding it slightly overrated. This area also includes youth fishing, a kayak pond, archery range, butterfly house, aviary, and animal exhibits -- and these are all free.

You can also get free chap stick and pens in the Oil & Gas building. The chap stick is functional, though perhaps a bit mediocre, but the pens are absolutely the best possible pens you can get anywhere, and I'm being completely serious about this. These are seriously my all-time favorite pens, so I encourage you to grab a few.

Other Things Along the Way

Again, the Ohio State Fair is a big place! So here are some of the other things we might check out along the way:

• The Cincinnati Circus Company, The Nerveless Nocks, Lady Houdini, or some other "death-defying" act

These typically start at 1:30 and run once every two hours in the afternoon. The show is generally decent and worth catching, whatever it happens to be. These used to run at the south end of the fair by the south gate on 11th Avenue, but a couple years ago they moved them to the south end of the Midway and next to Natural Resources Park. My guess is that this is where they will be again this year.

• Main Street Stage / Gazebo Stage

These stages are at opposite ends of the "WNCI Food Highway." They'll have shows like live music, magic, hypnosis, juggling, and the like. I usually end up seeing most of the shows, almost by accident, during my annual trips to the fair. If there's music at the Gazebo, though, it can be a little loud if the performer is using a big amp. But otherwise the shows are generally entertaining, if not spectacular.

If The Beach Geeks are playing again this year, we are absolutely dropping everything to check them out. I'll fight people on this.

• The Midway

I'm not a big riding-the-rides person, and I doubt we will go through here though unless there's interest. However, I do really enjoy watching people ride rides, so I never have a problem taking a stroll down the Midway.

I do like doing bumper cars, though, as well as some of the various haunted or fun houses. If you think there's a snowball's chance in hell I'm doing the Defender, though, then please put the bong down and slowly back away.

• The Dairy Building

This is where the famous Butter Cow is, and the exhibit is always popular. You can also get fairly overpriced ice cream and milkshakes here. Unless something changes here because of their renovations, there are cheaper places at the fair where you can get dairy desserts, and I can show you where they are.

• Taft Coliseum

An indoor arena where they have rodeo- or cowboy/cowgirl-type shows. Sometimes these shows are very good and entertaining and worth checking out. Note that, while you're out of the sun here and the seating is generally good, the arena is not air-conditioned.

If trick riders Tracie Spitznogle and Carlie Hale are here, you are likely to enjoy their show, and it will be free (and well-attended).

• The Petting Zoo & Pig Races

These used to be in Kiddieland, but in 2025 they were moved to "The Barnyard," next to the Gazebo Stage and the Celeste Center. I suspect they'll have moved again in 2026, but that they will otherwise be back. They're both free and generally popular, with the Pig Races being extremely popular. The woman who does the announcing for the Races always delivers the exact same script year after year, but she has so much charisma you won't care, even if you've seen it many times before.

• Central Park

Sometimes I like to just sit here, people-watch, and listen to the sounds of the fair. There are typically several beer vendors right next to Central Park if you want to relax and nurse a beverage while you do so, and the Dairy Building is also very close by.

This area may end up being superseded in desirability by the new "Town Square." The Park does suffer from a paucity of shade, and the Square is supposed to rectify some of this. We will see!

• Live Music

There is likely to be some sort of band performing classic rock from something like 2p-5p either in the Taste of Ohio Pavilion next to the Natural Resources Park, or in the Pavilion's replacement/renovated area near the new Town Square. The show will be free and highly likely to be quite good. You should be able to get drinks and food here, too (wherever the ultimate location is), while you check out the band.

• Zultar - Fortune Teller

I saw this guy for the first time last year. He's one of the fair's "strolling entertainers," meaning he takes his act all over the fair and you never know where he will show up next. He's got a "booth" and he wears a costume and face paint that make him look exactly like one of those fortune-telling-booth mannequins. He is completely hilarious (particularly when dealing with children), and if we see him, we will stop and watch him. Don't make me fight you on this, too, people.

• Ohio History Center

Buying a ticket to enter the Ohio State Fair will automatically get you free admission to the Ohio History Center and Ohio Village, which are located just outside the fairgrounds but otherwise are just next door.

They've been doing major renovations of the Village, but these are supposed to be completed by the time the State Fair opens this year. You can walk from the fair to the History Center and the Village, or they have a free shuttle you can take. It's not a short walk, but it's also eminently doable.

The History Center is a museum that's really not too terribly big, but is very interesting. And the Village is a living simulation of life in a small 19th-century Ohio town. I suspect most of the people who come out this Meetup would probably enjoy both the Center and the Village. Just keep in mind, though, that if we go, we'll probably be up there for at least a couple hours, which means less time at the fair. However, you won't have to twist my arm to get me to go up, because the whole History complex is actually pretty cool.

Conclusion

Come on out to the Ohio State Fair! 🥳 🎉 😄