Article updated July 15, 2026.
The Ohio State Fair returns for its 171st year from July 29-Aug. 9 at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds. With a total revenue of more than $11 million in 2025, it’s safe to say that the Ohio State Fair is primed for a successful 2026.
Ohio State Fair
During the 12 days of the fair, guests can expect a wide variety of food vendors, entertainment options and to revisit familiar favorites like the famous butter cow showcase.
New this year, the fair debuts its Ohio Showcase Building Food Hall, which will feature many new food and drink options, including everything from matcha lemonade and dirty sodas to frozen cheesecake, birria tacos, pork belly in a cone and even catfish on a stick. Additionally, $3 Thursdays return July 30-Aug. 6 with smaller, affordable samples at participating vendors.
Interested in animal life? The Barnyard, a newer shaded area, will house the pig race and the free petting zoo featuring all kinds of furry friends, from kangaroos and zebras to llamas, goats and more. Classic crowd-pleasers such as the animal delivery room and annual livestock competitions will also be featured.
Additionally, new events and attractions, including glassblowing, Glacial Misting Park and Town Square Play Zone will make their debut at the fair this year. Two special exhibits honoring Ohio's role in America 250 will also join the ranks – the imAGine Ag Exhibit, an immersive journey through Ohio agriculture, and the Ohio Proud Showcase: Taste Ohio Like Never Before, which will feature all things Ohio-grown.
The iconic butter cow showcase will return to the Dairy Products Building, which just celebrated its 100th birthday last year. The butter cow and calf are a staple of the fair, showcasing more than 500 hours of dedicated craftsmanship from sculptors as well as highlighting the hard work of Ohio’s dairy cows.
Last year’s butter cow display was themed "Pardon Our Dust!" Cows in butter hard-hats posed alongside construction workers with a jackhammer, blue prints and a walkie-talkie as they overlooked their construction site – a nod to 2025's major fairground renovations which are now complete and reflected in this year's fair experience. Stay tuned for this year's butter cow reveal before the fair kicks off.
Since its introduction in 1853, entertainment has become another one of the fair's central attractions. This year, the Main Street Stage will feature a variety of live performances from music artists to hypnosis and magic.
The ticketed concert and event series will feature artists such as Nelly, Styx with special guest Don Felder and Weird Al Yonkovic, among others. Concert tickets that are bought before arriving at the fair will include fair admission and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com/OhioStateFair. Free entertainment is also available at the WCOL Celeste Center.
These events only scratch the surface of what the 12-day fair has to offer. Visit www.ohiostatefair.com for more information.
Avery Gillis is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com
