We’re so excited — the Indiana State Fair opens before school starts in our area this year! The fair gets underway Friday August 6 and continues through August 22.

That’s over two weeks of fun. And there’s so much to do at the Indiana State Fair, you might just decide you have to go more than once. So read on to find out the must-sees, fun for kids and great deals which I know helps out if you go more than once or have a large family.

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Riding a pony at the Indiana State Fair.

The Indiana State Fair is really big and it can be a bit overwhelming. I remember going the first time in 2005 when our little boy was just two-years-old. We’ve gone every year since but the last two as the fair started after school began. The first year I remember feeling like I just couldn’t make it to everything I wanted to see.

In the following years, I sat down and planned the main things I wanted to see. It all depends on the ages of people in your group and what everyone wants to do. From yummy food to thrilling rides, there’s something for everyone at the state fair.

As the fairgrounds are quite large and there is so much to do and see, I’ve tried to break it down for you. Read on to get the inside scoop on getting there, parking, discounts and deals, the areas of the fairgrounds and the attractions.

Tickets & Hours

General admission is $8. Children age 5 and under are admitted FREE of charge. Read on to the Deals section for info on discounted tickets which are available at several area locations.

Gates open at 8 a.m. daily (6 a.m. on Saturday August 14). Admission tickets will not be accepted after 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and after 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Building and Exhibit hours generally 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout the fair.

Deals
I mention these first as many of these deals must be acquired before trekking down to the State Fair.

Discounted Tickets: Indiana State Fair Discount Tickets will be on sale mid-July for $7. They will be available at all Indiana Walmart stores, CVS/pharmacy stores, Indiana Farm Bureau offices, The Marten House Hotel, the Indiana State Fairgrounds Box Office.

Indianapolis Star FREE Admission Ticket: Monday, Aug. 9, The Indianapolis Star will print a ticket good for free admission to the fair on the following Wednesday and Thursday, August 11 and 12.

The Indiana State Fair Midway

Admission Midway Combo Pass: What a deal. Stop by an area Wal-Mart by August 8 and save on a combination admission/Midway wristband for just $25. This deal is good for August 6, 9. 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 22. The is an $8 savings off regular price. You can also use that extra $8 for a yummy state fair great!

$1 Midway Rides: This is great deal for those of you who go to the fair to ride the rides. On Saturday, Aug 7 and Sunday, Aug. 8 from 11 am-Noon midway rides are only $1.00 each.

Indiana State Fair Midway Wristbands: Mondays through Fridays and the last Sunday of the fair, you can get a special wristband that allows you to ride all rides as many times as you’d like. Times follow when wristbands are valid. They all run $25 except for August 16, they are $15 and for kiddie rides only.

August 6 7 p.m. to midnight
August 9 Noon-6 p.m.
August 10 Noon-6 p.m.
August 11 Noon-6 p.m.
August 12 Noon-6 p.m.
August 13 7 p.m. to midnight
August 16 Noon-4 p.m. (Kiddie Rides Only-$15)
August 17 Noon-6 p.m.
August 18 Noon-10 p.m.
August 19 Noon-6 p.m.
August 20 7 p.m. to Midnight
August 22 Noon-10 p.m.

Turkey Hill $2 Tuesdays, to print vouchers visit turkeyhill.com/indianastatefair.

Turkey Hill $2 Tuesdays: You can get into the State Fair for just $2 Tuesday Aug. 10 and 17 compliments of Turkey Hill Dairy. Click here to print your voucher. You will need one fore each person in your group.

$2 Taste of the State Fair: This sweetens Turkey Hill $2 Tuesdays all the more. You can get $2 serving of many State Fair treats on August 10 and 17.

BMV Carload Day: Round up your friends and fill up the car. On Monday, August 16, admission is only $15 per vehicle (up to 10 people) with this voucher.

$2 Pepsi Brand Can Discount: Bring any Pepsi can to the State Fair on the last day, August 22, and receive $2 off gate admission.

For more discounts, click here.

Getting There
Driving: The Indiana State Fairgrounds are located at the corner of East 38th Street and Fall Creek Parkway in Indianapolis.

If family travel brings you to Indianapolis and you need the street address for GPS or Mapquest it is 1202 East 38th Street. For detailed directions coming from all areas, click here.

Riding the Indiana State Fair Train with the Conductor

Fair Train: If you live near Fishers, Indiana, you can skip driving and catch the WFMS Fair Train. The WFMS Fair Train sponsored by the Indiana Transportation Museum departs from 116th Street and Municipal Drive in Fishers, Indiana, for a round trip to the Indiana State Fair.

Adult tickets are $10. Tickets for children ages 3-12 years are $5 and those 2 and under ride free of charge. This can get a little pricey if you have a large family, but I do recommend doing it at least once if you have little ones. They really love the train. Our little guy did. Another nice thing is you don’t have to park at the fairgrounds.

Pre-Fair discount tickets are available at select Key Banks. a package for 2 adults and 3 children runs $25. For more details on the Fair Train including a departure and return schedule plus parking, click here.

Pedal & Park: Save $1 off admission when you ride your bike to the State Fair and use one of the secured bike racks on the Monon Trail at 38th Street from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Bikers must enter through Gate 18 on the Monon Trail. This may be a good option for those who live close to the fairgrounds.

Indiana State Fair Parking
Where to park? That’s always the question. I always try to find free parking. That obviously is a little easier if you can manage to go during the day on a weekday.

Free on the Fairgrounds: There is plenty of free parking available on a first-come, first-served basis inside the fairgrounds. Visitors should enter through Gate 1 off 38th Street, Gate 6 off Fall Creek Parkway., Gate 10 off 42nd Street or Gate 16 off 42nd Street.

Indiana State Fair Park and Ride: Another free parking option is Free State Fair Park and Ride. By parking in Glendale Malls Rural Street parking lot, you can ride the Indiana State Fair Shuttle for FREE! For those of you unfamiliar with the area, Glendale Mall is located at the corner of Keystone Avenue and 62nd Street and the corner of 62nd Street and Rural Street.

The Rural Street Parking lot is one the north side of the mall.

State Fair E-Z Park: These $5 lots are located south of East 38th Street across from the main gates and for the Indiana School for the Deaf at 1200 East 42nd Street. According to Mapquest the Deaf School is just over a mile and a half away, so that may be a bit of a walk for some.

Handicap Accessible Parking: Just inside Gates 1, 6 and 16 and in the Best Way Disposal Infield.

Useful Info
Maps: Be sure to pick up a map upon entering the fairgrounds.

ATMs: Need more cash? No worries. You’ll find lots of ATMs at the Indiana State Fair. MOBILEMONEY ATM machines are located all around the fairgrounds. An additional ATM is in
front of the Administration Building.

Shuttle Service: Tired of hoofing it around the fairgrounds? Need to get to another attraction quick? Jump on the tractor shuttles and take a lap around the Fairgrounds for just 75¢. The shuttles are sponsored by Western
Governors University, Hoosier Lottery, Indiana Mothers’ Milk Bank, St.Vincent Heart Center, Revol Wireless and Clarian Health.

First Aid: Hopefully you won’t need it, but First Aid stations are located at three different fairgrounds locations: the Hook’s Historical Drug Store near the 38th Street Main Gate; the Public Safety Center just inside Gate 6 near Fall Creek Parkway; and on Trackside Parkway across from the FFA Pavilion.

Getting Around the Fairgrounds
The Indiana State Fair is big and it can be overwhelming if you try to see and do it all in a day. I’ll try to break it down and highlight the areas and what I think are the main attractions. For a map of the Indiana State Fair, click here and then click map once you are taken to that page. An * next to a name, means this one of our family’s favorites.


Cooling off at the Pathways to Water Quality Exhibit

A good starting point for our tour is the Grand Stand. Imagine you are facing the Grand Stand and looking to the north. You are on Main Street. Behind you is the Draft Horse Barn and the Swine Barn. The Public Safety Center is located just to the east of the Draft Horse Barn. Continue heading east and you’ll pass the Clarian Dance for Health Stage.

As you start to turn to the north look to your right and you’ll see the Pathway to Water Quality*. We saw this a few years ago on a very hot day and there was a place to get wet and get a fresh drink of water. This is a must-stop on these very hot August days. Next, just to the east, you’ll find the Easy Ride-em Ponies. Ponies a little slow for you, head a little farther to the east for the Go-Karts.

My little farmer at Indiana State Fair's Little Hands on the Farm.

The North-east corner is a must-see for those of you with smaller children. There you will find the Riley Fun Park* and Little Hands on the Farm*. I can’t say enough about the Little Hands on the Farm. We did this every year from the time my little boy was 2 through age 7. Here the children area given an apron to wear and a cap.

They then get to be farmers. They get to plant “seeds”, take care of “animals”, ride tractors and finally get paid for their hard work with tokens they can exchange at the Little Hands store. This is a great place to get lots of pictures. Riley Fun Park is a smoke-free family entertainment area that is open daily from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Kids will enjoy the Rowdy Rooster Puppet Show. There’s three shows daily at 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m.and 5 p.m. Another one not to miss is Welde’s Big Bears and Grizzly Falls. The Famous Welde Family has featured their bears in the animated Disney movie Brother Bear, Big Fish and numerous appearances with Universal, Disney and 20th Century Fox Studios.

Promoting the preservation of bears, their Grizzly Falls exhibit – complete with water falls and beautiful scenery – allows the bears to enjoy wonderful playtime throughout the day where Fair-goers can see their hilarious and inspirational antics as they teach us “simply by being bears”. Shows are daily at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Feeding the goats at Indiana State Fair Goat Mountain

Now we are heading west. First you’ll come to the Antique Tractor Barn, Normandy Barn and Pioneer Village. Next is the Livestock Nursery (this is always fun for the little ones and the baby animals are so cute). Next is the Farm Bureau Building, followed by the FFA Pavilion and then the Indiana Young Farmers Building.
Just outside the Indiana Young Farmers Building is the Indiana State Fair Goat Mountain*.
This is a must-see for the kids. They can pet and feed live goats. You’ll need some change to purchase the goat food. There are plenty of hand washing/sanitizing stations nearby to clean little hand before you head off.

Fishing at the Indiana State Fair DNR Fishin' Pond.

Next is one of our favorites, the DNR Building*. For those that know it stands for Department of Natural Resources and it is full of exhibits on wildlife and outdoorsy stuff. The big draw is out back — the DNR Fishin’ Pond”.

If you’re like us, we aren’t that outdoorsy and our son had never fished. I recommend hitting this early in the day and early in the week. We found that the fish aren’t as eager to bite and get tossed back in after the Fair goes on.

The first year, our son didn’t catch anything and boy was he disappointed.) I was so thankful to the man in the DNR Building who helped ease his ego by helping him hit the archery bull's eye.)

If you plan to go fishing, I recommend going to the DNR Building upon arrival to the Fair. You’ll have to get a fishin’ license” for your little fisherman and you’ll receive a time to return and fish.

Now you are in the back northwest corner of the fairgrounds. Here you will find the Free Stage, 4-H Exhibit Hall, Centennial Hall and Dow Agro Sciences Celebration Park. Now we’re heading south and we’ve finally made it to the Midway*. This takes you in at the back of the Midway. Look under my deals section near the top for info on Midway Wristband specials.

Midway hours are noon to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Fridays noon-midnight, Saturdays 11 a.m. to midnight and Sundays 11 a.m. to 11 p.m (10 p.m. on August 22). I was unable to find the cost of individual ride tickets but for more information including links on height requirements for rides and number of tickets required for each ride, click here.

If you want to see the fun Midway Arch, it is at the opposite end. It’s a great place to get some pictures.While at the Midway, be sure to check out the Indiana State Fair Covered Bridge which crossed the track and the west end.

Petting a cow at the Indiana State Fair

Heading south is the Poultry and Rabbit Building, Home and Family Arts Building, the Southwest Pavilion and Hook’s Drug Store. In the southwest corner of the fairground you will find the Exposition Hall.

Now we are heading east again. The large pig you can’t miss is the State Fair Gift Shop in honor of this year’s theme — the Year of Pigs. On the north side of the road is the Pioneer Our Land Pavilion.

Next to the Pioneer Our Land Pavilion is the Administration Office and then the Dairy Bar where you can get yummy treats and eats like grilled cheese and milk shakes. On the south side of the road is the Cattle Barn. Across the street is the Indiana State Fair Coliseum with the Saddle Horse Barn right behind it.

Well, we’ve circled the Indiana State Fairgrounds and hopefully you have an idea of what you might want to see. There’s so much more — entertainment, exhibits, etc. For the official the Indiana State Fair website, click here.

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