The Indiana State Fair is back with a crop of new attractions. The 15-day event features Hoosier connections to sports, animals, entertainment and food.
The fair kicks off with the popular Taste of the Fair. Nearly 50 original food and beverage creations are available for fairgoers to vote for their favorite unique food and beverages.
Jessica Orme with Nitro Hog BBQ thought up the S’Mork.
“And it is a fried sugar biscuit, and then we put marshmallow fluff with chocolate chips, and then mini dehydrated marshmallows. And then we're gonna toast it, and we'll add a little bit of pulled pork,” Orme said.
There’s also hot Cheeto fried Oreos, corn dog beer and a blue raspberry milkshake.
Brooke Williams is director of communications for the American Dairy Association in Indiana. She said the dairy barn creates a new grilled cheese sandwich every year and this year it’s the Big Dill.
“I feel like if you’re a pickle lover, this is your sandwich this year,” Williams said.
A VHS revival exhibit takes people back to the days of the video store. The experience celebrates iconic movie poster artwork and interactive exhibits representing films from the 1980s through the early 2000s.
LeRoy Lewis with the Indiana State Fair said the new VHS revival exhibit will take people back in time.
“To bring back some of that nostalgia of being able to go into Blockbuster and finding the movie that you wanted to watch,” Lewis said.
The largest addition to this year's fair is a new train ride. The experience offers a narrated tour of the north side of the fairgrounds and a historic look at transportation in Indiana.
There is also a new interactive wiffle ball field set up for young fans. The Schumacher Stadium invites guests to enjoy play time, take in a tournament or meet celebrity players.
Young fans will also be able to join in the mullet competition. The contest will make its debut for young contestants to compete for the title of best mullet.
A newly revamped big top circus will return to the fair. There is a fresh lineup of performances including acrobatics and comedy. Each show in the air-conditioned tent is free and offered three times a day.
New animal experiences will also be offered this year, including tortoise feeding and calf cuddling.
The fairgrounds also features new infrastructure, most notably at the entrance gates and the free stage venue area.
Fair attendees will be able to enjoy all the usual sights, sounds and smells of the multi-day event that started in 1852. More than 850,000 people are expected to attend the fair this summer.
Contact WFYI Managing Editor Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org
