Just Like The Number

Our Great State Fair! {Ticket & Dairy Bar Giveaway}

American Gothic Comes to the Fair

This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner, Nina B!

(It’s Indiana’s Family of Farmers Week on Just Like The Number!!  Not really, but I have been working on some fun stuff with them.  Stay tuned for a super fun giveaway in a few weeks just for my fellow Colts fans!  Next week we’ll return to regular programming with video highlights of me getting mulch in uncomfortable places and Elena rocking it out on the big stage.)

Our state fair is a great state fair,
Don’t miss it, don’t even be late.
It’s dollars to donuts
That our state fair
Is the best state fair in our state.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s State Fair

It’s that time of year again, finally! It’s Indiana State Fair time.  The kids and I love the fair, and have been known to go several times during its running.

Now, I’ve connected with many people in the last 6 years that we’ve lived in Indiana and I’ve met a few who claim to not enjoy the fair. As much as it shames me, I harbor one of these very people in my own house.  Yes, my husband is not a fan of the fair.  Had I known about this and his strong feelings about coffee … well, let’s not even go there.  I love him and I’ve made it my annual  mission in late July/early August to convert him and other poor, unaware souls into fair believers.

While there really isn’t a part of the fair that I don’t like, I know other people might need convincing that there’s something at the fair that will appeal to them.  One of the best things about the Indiana State Fair is that it manages to hold on to beloved traditions while continually offering something new.  I’m a firm believer that somewhere along the way even the most stubborn city slicker can find something to love about our state fair.

I might not be able to convince you that the amazing view of the city from the ferris wheel is worth the trip.

Maybe the animals aren’t your thing.

Indiana State Fair Chicken

Perhaps your homemaking skills won’t earn you any ribbons.

Indiana State Fair Ribbon

But the food.  Oh, the food.  If you can tell me that you simply don’t enjoy food?  Well, then, I guess you’re off the hook.

Funnel Cake

I dream about the food all year long, and it’s a big reason we have to visit more than once.  My poor stomach simply can’t manage to eat everything I want to eat in one day.

There are the old faithfuls, the food that’s always going to be there.  Lemon shake-ups and lamb kebabs.  Grilled cheese and milkshakes from The Dairy Barn.  Giant cream puffs from Taylor’s.  Elephant ears.  Deep-fried anything.

And then there are the new foods you just have to try.  Spaghetti Ice Cream (this year’s Signature Dish) or, heaven help me, Deep Fried Samoas.

Along the food theme, there’s a new addition this year that I’m really excited about: the DuPont Food Pavilion.  For the first time in the fair’s history, there will be a 16,000 square foot exhibit dedicated solely to Indiana food – the farmers who grow it, the chefs who prepare it, the artisans who craft it, and the issues connected to it.  The Pavilion will also feature a retail store selling more than 30 Indiana-made specialty items.

As much as I enjoy eating and talking about food, there’s also a serious side – the issue of hunger.  In this difficult economy, many people are struggling to put food on the table, and food banks are having a hard time keeping up with the need.  This year Indiana’s Family of Farmers is partner with Feeding Indiana’s Hungry in a unique way to address the problem.  For each fairgoer who visits all 8 stops on the Indiana’s Family of Farmers Recipe Trail, one pound of food will be donated to food banks across Indiana.

As if you needed any more enticing from me to get yourself to the fair, Indiana’s Family of Farmers has given me 2 State Fair tickets and a set of coupons for the Dairy Barn (which includes 2 milkshakes, 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and 2 kids’ meals) to give away.  Tickets can be used anytime during the 2012 Indiana State Fair (August 3 – 19). Here’s how to enter:

  1. Leave a comment telling me about your favorite fair food or a fair food you can’t wait to try.
  2. For an additional entry, tweet or share this giveaway on Facebook, leaving an additional comment for each telling me that you did so.

The contest will run through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31st.  Winner will be notified via email and have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.  Thanks and good luck!

Disclosure:  As an Indiana’s Family of Farmers Ambassador, I was compensated for this giveaway.  All opinions are my own.

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Related posts:

  1. Indiana State Fair
  2. Now Showing at the Indiana State Fair!
  3. Reflecting On The Indiana State Fair Tragedy

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. …so I can’t tell you a favorite State Fair food because I have never been to the state fair (yes, I’ve lived in IN my whole life…) (I take that back….I may have been in a Cheerleading competition once there, but there was no walking around or anything.) Ethan’s been once…he and Daddy went to Toby Mac last year (or maybe 2 years ago?) …something I’d like to try…I’m thinking the deep fried somoas sound like something I could try! I hope you guys are having a good summer! Maybe this year we’ll make it to the fair! We always “plan” to go but never quite make it!

  2. I always enjoy eating a pork burger for lunch. We usually stop at the dairy bar for a shake (& maybe a toasted cheese sandwich). If we have time, I like grabbing an elephant ear before we leave…always a favorite. 🙂

  3. Hi, Angie! I, too, am a big fan of the Dairy Bar. Just give me a grilled cheese sandwich (carefully wrapped in waxed paper) and a chocolate milk shake, and I’ll be content. My favorite fair memory is volunteering during IU day, which was discontinued the following year.

  4. Dairy Bar milk shakes are the bomb! Runners up include rib eye sandwiches and corn on the cob.

  5. Ice cream at the Dairy Bar is my favorite! Although I did get a killer basket of fried cheeses from the Wisconsin truck one year. Bill loves the fried pickles & fried sauerkraut balls.

  7. Roasted corn dripping in liquid butter! It’s always good, never “meh”. I am looking forward to trying the deep fried Girl Scout Samoas this year. Totally grossed out my boyfriend by eating the donut burger one year. Healthnut….Can’t wait to do it again!

  8. Oh, my, goodness. I HAVE to go to that food pavilion. You already know I’m pretty food obsessed, but the fair is the best way to get out and enjoy the stuff that I can only find at the fair. I do want to try the deep-fried Girl Scout Cookies, but my all-time fav are elephant ears.

  10. I always get the best corn on the cob at the fair! But I’m also a sucker for deep fried Oreos.

  13. Every fair, without fail, I need to get an italian sausage loaded down with peppers and onions. Every fair, no matter how big or how small.

  15. I heard that the fair was going to have “spagahetti” icecream this year…it sounds different and I definitely like different!

  18. I would have to say that my favorite food is the grilled chesse sandwiches from the Dairy Barn. It’s so great to be able to get a wonderful sandwich and a delightful milkshake. It’s not heavy like the deep-fried fare at the fair! It is also something my whole family loves. No arguing makes it taste even better!

  19. My favorite? Oh boy. Too many to choose from! I always get a lambburger, because you can’t get it anywhere else. And the corn is a tradition. The Dairy Bar is a MUST! Chocolate milk and a grilled cheese sandwich, mmmmmm. Oh, and Wisconsin Cheese Curds from that booth in front of the Hort building!

    I’m looking forward to trying the Spaghetti Ice Cream, and the other new contest foods. This is going to be a great Fair!

  20. Geez, I need to get out and try more food at the fair! We’ve only been once and I had a boring (but delicious) pork burger. And I love the lemon shake-ups. 🙂 I want to try the grilled cheese at the dairy barn because people keep raving about it and I find that a little strange. 🙂

  21. We LOVE the Sati Babi’s. This is something we have tried and tried to recreate at home, and there is nothing like it. However, we do love to hit the $2 Tuesdays because we can pig out on those, the steak tips and potatoes, lemon shake-ups, corn dogs, ice cream cones, and hot buttered ears of corn! Now I’m definitely excited about it coming and it won’t get here fast enough!!!!

  23. Favorite fair food…always comes from the Dairy Barn. Pepper jack grilled cheese and a chocolate milkshake. Favorite fair activity…24 years of taking pictures of our kids in the biggest tractor wheel we can find! Last year the picture included my 21 yo daughter, 15 yo son and 2 yo granddaughter. Her dad wasn’t with us but he would have had to get in too!

  25. My favorite fair food; fried veggies!!! My hubby and I were eating them last Aug 13th when the storm moved in! Total chaos, and so VERY SAD!

  27. I love getting corn on the cob at the fair but deep fried Snickers are so yummy!! Oh, I also love elephant ears and lemon shake ups! Heck, I just love fair food!

  28. Oh man, my husband isn’t a big fair fan either! He’s fine with just going once every few years. That’s not going to work for me. I’d prefer 2 or 3 times each year.

    I’ve been looking forward to the food for ages already. I’m contractually obligated to get a corn dog at any fair, I think it says so on my ticket. We always get roasted ears & fried cheese also.

  29. My favorite is the ear of corn. I love it! Someimes I have two of them! I also like to get a steak sandwich, a couple of lemon shake-ups, and I usually share an elephant ear, cause I have to save room for ice cream! I want to try the spaghetti ice cream and the samoas this year!

  30. One of my favorite things to eat at the Indiana State Fair is pork chop dinner at the pork tents, oh so yummy!!

  31. The Strawberry Milkshake from he Dairy Bar is something we wait all year for, and I agree, it may be one of the best fairs around

  32. Favorite fair food? It’s gotta be a funnel cake. I don’t always get one, but I always WANT to get one. I’m submitting a pair of socks I knitted this year, so have my tickets, but would love tix for the dairy bar! Also nervous (but hopeful) that maybe I’ll end up with a ribbon, too!

  33. We can’t wait to try an elephant ear. Have hear rave reviews for them from everyone around us. This will be our first year to the Indiana State Fair, being an active duty Military family, we just moved here from San Diego, Ca. The kiddos are excited to meet farmers and see the animals too. Thanks for this wonderful givaway.

  35. I love getting a half and half chocolate & strawberry shake from the Dairy Bar. And usually a cheese sandwich as well. Also love the cheese curds. So much great food!

  36. We can’t wait every year to have some Pineapple Whip! Definitely our favorite!! Thank you for the chance to win!

  37. I love elephant ears! We always get one and share it. Love the Indiana State Fair and can’t wait for it!

  38. Rib eye sandwiches, elephant ears, ice cream, pork burgers, etc… What’s not to like? Looking forward to the fair!
    Thank you for the giveaway!

  39. We really like the spiral potatoes and pineapple whip. The milkshakes from the Dairy Barn are delicious, too! My son can’t wait to see all of the tractors and eat a corn dog! 🙂

  40. Grilled cheese at the Dairy Bar is a family tradition. I visit on multiple days and try to get something different every time. They have the richest, creamiest chocolate milk and you can’t beat the milk shakes or ice cream or…well it’s all DELICIOUS! I LOVE the Indiana State Fair!!

  41. Where is this dairy bar located? ? Everyone is making the food sound amazing! We would love to try it! My favorite treat from the fair goes back to my childhood, the saltwater taffy.

  42. I do not have a favorite food but I do like to try new things each year, never the same thing twice!

  44. I’m with you Angie…the food is what to look forward to. My favorite is anything meat on a stick and fried mac-n-cheese. I love everything about the fair and have so many good memories. Want my kids to also, but feeding 5 at the fair is no cheap meal. Have to save up and go a couple of times to try it all!
    I shared on facebook!

  45. Oh, I don’t know if I can pick just one favorite food from the state fair! Our first stop is always the Dairy Bar though so I can get a chocolate milkshake and mozzarella cheese sticks! 🙂 I also just shared this on Facebook.

  46. I absolutely love everything at the fair, but the one thing I have to have while I’m there is a hand dipped corn dog. Love them! The Dairy Barn is what I always go on my way out, that way I have something to enjoy on my way back to the car.

    Will be posting on FB as soon as I click “Post Comment” 🙂

  50. We live in Ohio, BUT 4 of our Grandchildren live in Indiana. Every year for the past 5 years we go to IN to go to the State Fair. It is our Grandson’s birthday. And going to the fair is how we celebrate his BIG Day! Birthday number 6 is August 11th. Yeah! Bring on The SWEET CORN!!!! Can’t wait to get some!!!

  51. Spaghetti Ice Cream?? Please explain. And deep-fried Samoas? I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to try one of those! Can not wait for the fair!

  53. I know it’s a staple (and not unique to the state fair by any means), but for me it’s gotta be the funnel cake. My daughter might vote for cotton candy though. It’s hard to beat pure sugar melting in your mouth and soon to your bloodstream!

  55. What’s not to like? You go in and eat your way from one side of the fair to the other.
    It’s just not summer without the Indiana Sate Fair.

  58. My all time favorite fair food is a Gyro loaded up with all the goodies from the Papageorge stand. They are great because they are always in the same spot! I cannot wait to eat one.. Seriously my mouth is watering right now.
    Thanks for the opportunity to win tix!
    Emily, EClouse@holyspirit-Indy.org
    I’m going to retweet your message for an extra entry. @Emme744 is me.

  59. My “must haves” at the fair: grilled cheese and a strawberry shake from the dairy barn, a funnel cake, and a root beer! I’ve always wanted to try those ginormous turkey legs but I’m always stuffed when I walk by! See you at the fair! I can’t wait!

  61. My favorite food at the state fair has always been a turkey leg, milk shake from the dairy barn, a stop at the Wisconsin cheese place for some deep fried cheese cubes, and a lemon shake up!! Mmm just a few more days toll it stars! I can’t wait!! 🙂

  62. I love, love, LOVE a grilled cheese sandwich and milkshake from the dairy bar. Husband always gets a ribeye sandwich. And we never leave without sharing an elephant ear. Great memories!!!

  63. When going to the fair we always stop in at Porky’s for rotisserie chicken and the dairy barn for grilled cheese and ice cream!! Can’t wait!!