The 2016 Ohio State Fair & Ticket Giveaway

Come see all that Ohio has to offer at the 163rd Ohio State Fair! Along with all of your favorite fair food and amenities.

Today Bob, two friends, and I visited the 163^rd annual Ohio State Fair that is taking place right here in Columbus from July 27 through August 7. I’ve actually never been to the state fair so it was a wonderful treat to be able to spend most of the day there! And yet, we still weren’t able to see everything as there is so much to do from delicious food and fun entertainment to educational experiences and adorable animals. But I’m going to recap some of the things we did do!

We made sure to arrive bright and early when the park opened at 9am. Being a Saturday we wanted to secure good parking and beat the masses which we most definitely did. Although the rides weren’t quite fired up yet, lucky for us we were greeted by this friendly sea lion right when we walked in! Such a ham…

The next critters we saw were cute fuzzy bunnies, ducks, turkeys, and chickens. The roosters knew it was morning as they were crowing their little hearts out. There were so many different kinds of chickens that I never knew existed! And then I saw these two pictures below who looked like they were devising some kind of evil plan.

There was also tons and tons of original artwork on display and antiques and local made goods for sale. There were scads of plates, bowls, cups, spoons, and other such kitchen goodies that I was tempted to buy as food props. I particularly enjoyed these coasters pictured below.

As for our first food purchase, it wasn’t your typical fair food. Schmidt’s is the best of the best when it comes to brats and cream puffs in town and I was not about to pass up on the opportunity to sample some of their goodies. Last time I tried to go to their actual restaurant in town there was over an hour wait, and while it’s worth it this line was much more reasonable. And dude, the cream puff was massive!!

Next up, we watched the pig races. The first one (pictured below) was over in a flash. But one of the other races had much larger contenders and it was comical to watch them trudge down the course getting distracted by food.

Speaking of food distractions, afterwards we moved on to the fried food department! Every fair has their brand of fried food and it seems like they will fry just about anything these says from the usual suspects such as Oreos and Twinkies to PB&J sandwiches and BUCKEYES!! It wouldn’t be the Ohio State Fair without those peanut butter and chocolate delicacies, which are battered and deep fried. This is how buckeyes should always be served from now until forever. We also had pronto pups and roasted corn on the cob.

We then embraced our inner child and started tackling the rides. First was the Sky Wheel which is similar to a Ferris Wheel but it has two wheels allowing for slightly faster speeds than a Ferris Wheel while still being able to enjoy the view. It wasn’t until I got to the top that I realized how much ground the fair actually covers!

Next we went down the giant slide which I honestly could’ve gone up and down over and over again but we had far too much to see and do, as I mentioned just above. Unfortunately, as far as the rides go I actually should have stuck with the slides because all the spinning rides, besides the wheels, made me dizzy. I used to ride everything as a kid and teenager so that was a bummer. Dang you getting older!

Thankfully there were still plenty of cute animals and fun activities for me to enjoy. More than I could actually tackle in a single day. The biggest thing I didn’t get to see that I am sad about was the lumberjack competition. But this little (big) pig was a good alternative. We also go to pet and feed llamas, goats, and a slew of other critters.

There were also plenty of photo ops around. I know that I just posted a picture of a pig but man do we love bacon. We even had eggs and pork for breakfast before heading to the fair. Sorry not sorry little piggy. But seriously, sorry, you’re just so delicious!

Our next meal came from the Taste of Ohio Cafe where you quite literally get to taste all the things that Ohio produces. And let me tell you, Ohio tastes delicious! It was my first experience having turkey ribs and oh my goodness were they tasty! I need to find a restaurant that serves them on the reg.

Of course inside this cafe there was also more opportunities for buckeye flavored treats beyond just fried buckeyes and I made sure to get myself a cone of buckeye ice cream, with real buckeyes chopped up in the mix.

Last but not least – the butter cows! These cows are a staple of the fair every year and the entire display was reported to have taken over 500 hours to complete! This included some pieces they carved to celebrate the Cavalier’s big championship win this year. I wonder what happens to the butter after the fair ends? That’d make for one entertaining centerpiece on the dinner table.

Are you going to the Ohio State Fair this year? What are you most looking forward to seeing? Tell me in the comments below and you could win 4 tickets to the fair! Just follow the prompts in the Rafflecopter widget below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary admission, parking, ride wristbands, and food vouchers by the Inspire PR Group who also sponsored the giveaway. However, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.

One year ago: Lavender Vodka Lemonade

Two years ago: Spicy Honey Mustard Hard Pretzels

Three years ago: Bananas Foster Mini Cheesecakes

Four years ago: Spaghetti Squash with White Cheddar Cheese Sauce