Posted on by Michelle

Indiana State Fair: A Good Way to Wrap Up Summer {and a Giveaway}

Edited: This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to comment #19, by Nathan Miller- it was picked by random.org! Thanks to everyone who entered, it’s gotten me really excited to go to the Indiana State Fair! 

 

In addition to MaM turning six this week, we also finished the last week of our summer routine. She loved every minute of daycamp, and the Fox thoroughly enjoyed his “new school” (we are seriously so happy at his new Montessori school I will be gushing about this at another time). In exactly two weeks, she’ll be on the bus to first grade (gasp!) and Summer 2011 will be officially over.

There is one shred of summer to hold onto, and it’s something that I’ve grown to love about living in Indianapolis. It’s the Indiana State Fair. Much like racing, I once poo-poo’d it. I have to say though, I look forward to it every year. (I do NOT look forward to the historic train that runs every 45 minutes all hours of the day and night for the duration of the fair, but that’s another blog post)

We eat at the Dairy Bar.

We see all kinds of animals, including the world’s largest boar (who, in turn has the world’s largest, well, you know….).

We get a deep fried something.

We enjoy the little mini-farm they have each year for the kiddos.

We climb all over the farm equipment Reynolds has on display.

The kids ride ponies.

We walk all over the grounds, seeing what there is to see, and there’s always something to see.

I scanned my archives, and I can’t believe I’ve never done a post about the fun we have at the fair, because it’s always a great day when we go.

We’re going on Monday to see some behind the scenes things, with Indiana Family of Farmers. I’m excited for the kids to learn more about the agricultural parts of the fair, and hello, Indiana Beef, Indiana Pork and the Dairy Bar are feeding us. YUMMO. It’s the Year of the Soybean, and there’s supposed to be some taste testing involved as well. And seeing baby animals. And milking cows and what not.

{The Giveaway}
Want to win two tickets to the Indiana State Fair yourself?

There are two ways to enter, and you may do so each one time:

1) Simply enter below with the ONE THING you have to see/eat/do at the fair every year, or the ONE THING you’d like to check out if you’ve never been.

2) Tweet the following, “Raise your hand if you love @indystatefair! Enter to win tix from @familyoffarmers & @gotchababy http://wp.me/pVbJS-Dp” and leave a comment here to tell me that that you’ve done so. 

(Comment moderation will be on, but I promise I will approve them with lightening fast speed. Be sure to enter your email on the comment form.)

Comments will be open until Friday, August 5th at 9pm. I’ll pick a random winner that evening! (The winning tickets will be mailed, so my guess is that you should have them by 8/10 or so)

Disclosure: Thanks to Indiana Family of Farmers for providing my family with a fun day at the fair. This giveaway was optional, but I wanted to share the love and pass on some tickets! Check out their blog and Facebook page  for great State Fair info, memories, and promotions, and follow them on Twitter!

24 Replies to “Indiana State Fair: A Good Way to Wrap Up Summer {and a Giveaway}”

  1. Have to hit up the Dairy Barn every year! A shake and moazeralla sticks are where it’s at.

  3. Always visit the DNR building. For years as an exhibitor I never got to the other side of the fair. There’s so much over there!

  8. Every year Amy and I get a drink called the Orange Dream from a pineapple shaped hut. We then ride the trolley all the way around the fairgrounds while we people watch and scope out the food booths.

  9. Because of my daughter’s love for horses, the horse barn is an absolute MUST!!! I think she’d spend the entire duration of the fair there if we’d let her.

  11. I absolutely LOVE the State Fair! I have to get an ear of corn from the Lion’s stand, and I have to see the pigs, the horses, and if I’m there on the right day, the llamas. We usually make at least three trips to the fair!

  12. We never miss the horse barn-my girl is a horse fanatic, so we can’t walk past that one!

  17. We have to go through all the exhibits for project ideas, eat some HOT Wisconsin Cheese curds and play at the mini farm – too good to miss!

  19. Wow, First off thank you for the chance to win tickets! But the first and only stop EVERYTIME we visit is the Dairy Bar for their famous Strawberry Milkshake, handsdown some of the greatest milkshakin time you will have, run by some of the warmest and nicest folks in the state!

  20. My Must-Do list at the fair every year includes (1)Pineapple Whip, (2)Ride the train around the grounds (3)Check out the annual cheese sculpture!

  21. I’ve never been….but I would have to go to the dairy barn. I keep hearing the commercials and it sounds so yummy!!

  23. I adore the fair and we usually go at least twice every year. I can’t leave without a trip to the Dairy Barn. This year I’m doing something I’ve never done before: taking Elena to a concert at the Grandstand. Oh yes, I’ll be her escort for Big Time Rush. I know you’re all jealous.

Comments are closed.