Indiana State Fair

Is there anything more iconic to Americana than summertime state fairs?

Going to the Indiana State Fair each year is one of our favorite family traditions. Summertime just doesn't seem complete without this annual visit. This year, we went with our good friends Craig & Brittany.

Walking around the Indiana State Fair almost feels like stepping back into how things used to be. So much seems out of place for the busy part of downtown Indianapolis, where the fairgrounds are located. Walking through, you're overwhelmed by the nostalgic scents of fried food and cinnamon roasted nuts. You encounter basically every type of unhealthy food you can imagine, with the most healthy being Indiana corn-on-the-cob, slathered in more butter than anyone could possibly need. 

I was really tempted by the deep-fried cookie dough, but we went with one of our annual favorites: gourmet grilled cheese. Trippe and I both thoroughly enjoyed it. (Mike was much wiser and ate beforehand so he wouldn't be as tempted to indulge in the junk. But, to me, it's part of the experience...you know?) 

We walked through the various exhibits as well. One of the things we love about this particular state fair is all of the animal exhibits. The day just isn't complete without catching a glimpse of the biggest pig you've ever seen in your life!

Like father, like son; Trippe's favorite part of the state fair is the farm machinery. It totally made his week to get to ride on all of the bulldozers, tractors, and lawn mowers. My parents live in a neighborhood that is under construction, and he can never get enough of taking walks past all of the bulldozers. Getting to ride on one was basically fulfilling one of his two-year-old dreams.

The wonderful thing about state fairs is that they provide a full day of fun at a really low price. Children under a certain age are almost always free (for Indiana, it's all children under 5). Also, usually there are quite a few "discount day" options that you can participate in and save quite a bit of money. 

Don't let the summer pass without checking out the fair in your state!