Ashley and I decided to pop over to the Indiana State Fair for a few hours yesterday afternoon, because, $2 Tuesday! And it did not disappoint. Below is our journey, accompanied by photos.
There’s nothing more exciting than walking up to the ticket booth and hearing the buzzing sounds of rides and fairgoers. Not to mention the smells. Oh, the smells! My stomach growled as we paid for our tickets.
We were greeted at the gate by the friendliest and most zealous ticket-taker I’ve ever seen. I don’t know where they found this woman, but her excitement to see us, take our tickets, and hand us a program made me that much more pumped to go inside.
Rounding the corner at the State Fair and catching that first glimpse of the Midway is kind of a magical moment. You haven’t really gone to the Indiana State Fair unless you’ve seen the Midway, taken a photo of the Midway, and posted it on Instagram to prove you saw it. Right? Okay, so check.
Next item on the agenda: food. Ashley mentioned a fried pickle stand on the way in, so we found our way over in less than 3 minutes. This girl knew exactly where she was going, and I was not far behind her. $2 for three huge fried pickle spears! Um, yum.
No trip to the fair is complete without a stop at the Dairy Barn. Trust me, if it weren’t for the pickles, we would have headed there immediately. Deciding what to get is usually a dilemma. But on $2 Tuesday…not so much. Grilled cheeses and soft serve all around! We sat down at a picnic table, at which point the sun actually came out. I think I even remember the clouds parting and shining down on our delicious fair food, but that’s probably just me.
Alright, so at this point we’ve quieted our stomachs. What’s next? Animals! The first thing we came across were the Clydesdales. Let me tell you, there is nothing more majestic or terrifying than a Clydesdale. They’re beautiful, but at the same time, could probably kick the crap out of you if you found yourself in the wrong spot.. We walked (cautiously and several feet away) around this beaut to check out the others in the barn before heading to see the pigs.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pig this large. This dude reminded me of how I feel after a day at Dig IN! Indiana farmers sure do know what they’re doing. The best part about visiting the pigs is seeing the babies, which were totally adorable. Animals, check!
On the way to our next activity, nearly every single person heading in the opposite direction was eating a popsicle. It was like ‘Where’s Waldo’, except the popsicles were Waldo and they were doing a terrible job. Ashley spotted the source of this people-wielding popsicle river and we soon found ourselves with popsicles of our own.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Laura! Ashley! You just ate all that fair food! How can you possibly be hungry for more?” Let me tell you something, friends: when someone hands you a free popsicle, you happily oblige. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had a five course meal, it doesn’t matter if they’re out of your favorite flavor. Heck, it doesn’t even matter if you don’t like popsicles! You take the popsicle. And that’s exactly what we did. (Selfie for evidence)
After enjoying our popsicles, we found ourselves at the historic Hook’s drug store and pharmacy. This place was the coolest. Imagine walking into an apothecary straight out of the mid 1800’s. We learned that while the building itself was never a functioning drug store, cabinets and pieces were taken from other locations around the state and compiled on-site at the State Fairgrounds to create the museum and soda fountain.
On our way out, we wandered into the arts and crafts building briefly, admiring the ribbon winners and their designs. The Fair really does have everything! As we left, the Monon Trail was absolutely hopping- which reminds me… Did you know that you can ride your bike to the Fair and park it for free? Now you do, you’re welcome.
The Fair is open til Sunday, August 21. Be sure to get your tickets!
Editor’s note: Much like Joey Tribbiani, I typically don’t share my food. Ashley Miser is the easiest person to share food with. Our rhythm was great, we weren’t reaching for things at the same time, and on top of it all, she even let me finish the ice cream! So, thanks Ash.
