INDIANAPOLIS —This year’s Indiana State Fair begins August 2, and promises to be popping with great entertainment, new exhibits, and old-fashioned fun. This year’s theme is the “Year of Popcorn,” celebrating the fact that Indiana is the second largest producer of popcorn in the United States. Fair officials plan to unveil the World’s Largest Popcorn Ball August 3 at 10 a.m. in the Ball State Ag/Hort Building on the Fairgrounds. The giant ball will be a sight to see, but it will be more than an edible oddity. It will be used in the fair’s new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education program that teaches children different educational concepts through exhibits and displays at the State Fair. The program was developed around 7th – 12th grade learning standards and includes three other attractions in addition to the popcorn ball.
Another new feature to the Indiana State is the Glass Barn, located along Farmer’s Blvd. across from the Farm Bureau Building. For the past three years, the Indiana State Fair and Indiana’s soybean farmers have been working together to tell the story of modern production agriculture and the Glass Barn is the result. Glass Barn visitors will meet three of those real Hoosier family farmers: Joe, a soybean farmer; Amy, a dairy farmer; and Heather, a hog farmer. They are featured prominently throughout the exhibit that has four distinct, interactive areas containing a variety modern technologies to mimic the current tools used in today’s agriculture. The building’s unique design by Jonathan Hess of Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects includes seven roof peaks that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also serve as a funnel to gather rain water that is fed into surrounding gardens – an environmentally conscience way to maintain beautiful landscaping while conserving water.
When the Indiana State Fair opens, it will unveil a brand new multi-purpose facility that is a key component to the massive $53 million Fairgrounds Coliseum renovation that began last October. The 30,000 sq. ft. Youth Arena debuts by hosting the 4-H Horse & Pony contesting classes and will then be the site of many other significant events and competitions throughout the fair’s 17-day run. The Youth Arena is located in the space previously occupied by the Outdoor Arena between the Coliseum and the South Pavilion. The Youth Arena, however, is an enclosed, climate controlled facility that now joins all three venues together. The building will be officially dedicated during the fair Aug. 10 at 5 p.m.
When the Coliseum renovation is complete in 2014, it will return to hosting many of the events that will be in the Youth Arena this year. It will also become the new site for the fair’s headline concert series. State Fair visitors will be able to see the construction progress on the Coliseum as the Indiana State Fair Foundation hosts daily tours of the 74 year-old venue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the fair’s 17-day run. Fairgoers may enter the Coliseum’s east side and take the quick trip across the floor before exiting through its west doors.
From the monster trucks to the buckin’ broncs, fairgoers will be able to hear all the entertainment at the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand well before they see it. It starts with the clash of cymbals during the 67th annual Music Travel Consultants Band Day Contest Aug. 2 and finishes with the crash of old cars at the Lucas Oil Demolition Derby Aug. 18. Classic 1980’s rock, upbeat pop and down home country are only a few of the music genres that will get fairgoers on their feet at this year’s Indiana State Fair, Aug. 2 – 18. The artists also span all generations – from Disney’s Coco Jones to 1960’s stars like The Turtles that are part of the “Happy Together Tour.” For a full listing, visit the Indiana State Fair Web site at indianastatefair.com
Gates open daily at 8 a.m. and close 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday or 9:30 p.m. on Firday at Saturday. The Fairgrounds is located at 1202 E. 38th St. General admission is $10; advance tickets (available at www.indianastatefair.com) are $7; kids 5 and younger are free. Download the free State Fair App to your smartphone for listings of every fair event for every day of the fair; a special separate listing of all the Marsh Free Stage concerts; general information on hours, admission and special discounts; a special parking map showing the most convenient places to park; and a sharing feature that allows users to post comments and photos to their Facebook friends and Twitter followers, plus offers online sales of discount tickets.
