A waterskiing squirrel, athletic dogs and racing pigs are among entertainment in store for visitors to the 87th annual Marion County Fair, Fri., June 16 through Sun., June 25 at the Marion County Fairgrounds, 7300 East Troy Avenue (located just east of the I-465 & Southeastern Avenue interchange).
Throughout the 10-day run, fairgoers will discover all sorts of fun and fabulous events to explore on the 123-acre grounds; delicious fair foods to savor; popular displays in the 4-H, Family Arts and Marketplace Buildings; thrilling competitions at the Grandstand, Horse Arena and Coliseum; continuous free entertainment on the Park Stage; one of Indiana’s best midways, and much more.
Gates open Monday through Friday at 5 p.m., and weekends at 12 noon. General admission is $5 per person, with children five and under and military with valid ID admitted for free. Plentiful parking in convenient fairgrounds lots also is free.
Special discount admission events include the Sun., June 18 Father’s Day Celebration when all men receive $2 off regular admission; Mon., June 19 Senior Night when fairgoers age 55-plus receive $1 off admission with ID, and Wed., June 21 Ladies Night when all female fairgoers receive $2 off admission.
Marion County Fair Board President John Gardner is excited to see new events coming to the fair this year, especially the new Outlaw Kart Races June 20 ($5 per person, kids under 6 free) in the Grandstand. “Those things are fast!” he said. He’s also looking forward to old favorites returning, such as the Gospel Music Celebration with partner WHMB-TV on June 18, which also coincides with Father’s Day. “Last year, there was a huge sea of people and great music. It was wonderful.” He’s also thrilled to be working with North American Midway Entertainment which provides the rides at the fair. “They put safety number one,” he stressed. “They are just a great company.”
Gardner pointed out that there is a new drag strip at the Grandstand, and a lot of work has been done at the oval that hosts motorcycle, truck and ATV races and the demolition derby. The grandstand seats about 3,500 fans and the races are always well attended.
Last year’s attendance to the Marion County Fair was about 75,000 over the ten days, with many 4-H exhibits attracting visitors. The petting zoo was especially popular with families, Gardner noted.
While the Marion County Fair is the biggest two weeks for the fairgrounds, the goal is to increase usage for the acreage year-round. “We need more year-round events. We can’t survive on the fair alone. Water bills have gone up, electric bills have gone up, insurance has doubled,” he explained. While the fairgrounds does receive some money for maintenance and improvements from Indianapolis, and they generate revenue from winter storage fees, the budget for the fairgrounds is continually squeezed. Electrical, plumbing, and drainage around the buildings have been improved in recent years; a new wireless PA system will be up and running shortly. All of those improvements cost money. “We’ve tried to choose wisely in upgrading things,” Gardner explained. One project he would like to get started on is the refurbishment of the Cattle Barn, which housed the now-defunct Peaceful Grounds project, and was a catch-all building for years before that. A renovation of the Marketplace is in the works. In addition, adding restrooms at the Grandstand is a goal for the board.
In order to grow, Gardner stressed, the board is seeking out strategic alliances with business, universities, and other entities that could have events in the buildings year round. Already home to horse shows, auctions, and more, Gardner hopes the community will come out to support the Marion County Fairgrounds year round. Competing for the entertainment dollar against the many events taking place in a growing urban county isn’t easy, he stated. They are working on building partnerships with racing, tech, and agricultural enterprises to use the grounds for a variety of projects. “I’d like to get radio-controlled racing and robotics competitions to use the buildings throughout the year.”
As to the Fair, Gardner stressed that the board is working to attract new vendors and make the existing events and competitions attractive across the generations. “WE’ve got several new food vendors with more ethnic choices, plus the old favorites returning.”
Like all county fairs, Gardner said that their survival depends on adapting to new realities: changing demographics, the loss of family farms, increased reliance on technology, and fewer people with a sense of place tied to the land.
“I hate to think there would be a time without the Fair,” he said.
