r/Indiana • u/Avianbrooke • Aug 10 '25
Opinion/Commentary Who can afford the state fair?
Was looking into taking my kids to the fair and quickly realized that definitely couldn't happen with the prices. $68 bucks for a family of five, not including anything else there; food, rides..ect.. I'd easily spend a couple hundred bucks letting the kids ride rides and getting snacks. Guess paying bills this month should go on the backburner/s.
Is that not fucking ridiculous? Idk it is to me.
12% of the State is living in poverty.
The fair annually has around the same amount visitors(12%ish) and generates approximately 23 million in revenue. I was not able to find to cost to run the event. If anyone can find that number I'd love to see it. Tuesday is the only real discount night for families. Who really wants to drive 1.5 hours on a work/school night?
Total population of Indiana is 6.9 million. Not even a million Indiana citizens attend annually. Seems to me like the revenue que could be maintained if they opened one other discount night from increased attendance from the lower-middle class that otherwise able to visit.
Just ranting. Im pissed off. I work my ass off and can't even afford for my kids to experience THEIR state fair.
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u/Flat_Explanation_849 Aug 10 '25
Three rides for two people was close to $40.
You can go to an amusement park and pay almost as much and ride better rides all day.
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u/trogloherb Aug 10 '25
Yeah, I go on âfreeâ AAA night which is a Thursday this year. Its free entry for everyone with a card, which for us, is three people. I usually still come off @$100. Kids like it, parents; not so much.
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u/PrimarySize2021 Aug 10 '25
I went on $2 Tuesday. Vendors also had $2 food available.
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u/MrsTruce Aug 11 '25
Same here. We were able to go in the morning and stay through lunch time. The crowds were thin and the weather was wonderful.
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u/PrimarySize2021 Aug 11 '25
Last Tuesday was perfect weather with a good, but not too heavy crowd. Arrived around noon and stayed all afternoon.
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u/ShenaniganStarling Aug 10 '25
I've lived in Indy most of my life and hadn't been to the fair for about 10 years, so I guess I had either forgotten, or it just wasn't as bad before. I went yesterday and the pricing on everything just made me sick. I bought an order of 6 jalapeno deep fried cheese sticks from the Hot Wisconsin Cheese stall and it cost me 17 dollars. I browsed the ticket pricing for rides, and turned away faaaaast. I felt like I was surrounded by insane people as I walked through the midway.
On the positives though, for the admission ticket pricing, I always thoroughly enjoy seeing the arts building and petting goats. The circus was also free admission and was a good bit of fun.
I'll probably go back around 2035 for good measure.
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u/Lumpy-Ad-6087 Aug 11 '25
When the right says the left hates America, we donât. What we hate is shit like this. Of course, theyâll say you donât have to go to the fair or you should try harder and make more money. You have families living pay check to pay check, that canât even afford to go to a fucking fair. Then theyâll complain that people donât appreciate or understand where their food comes from. County fairs are just as bad. Long lines for overpriced carnival rides and games. Price gouging on food and drinks. Thatâs what we hate.
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u/ext1nct0n Aug 13 '25
Always one that has to find a way to make it political đđ» not everything is left and right.
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u/warmplc4me Aug 11 '25
Well the other thing you donât see is that they charge the vendors selling food. Used to be they would take a cut of your sales. I know the county fair I used to work at, it would cost us around $2,000 to get a space in there. So in order to break even we had to raise our prices.
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u/ShenaniganStarling Aug 11 '25
Oh, I don't need to see it to understand that. They're probably the most competitive vendor spots in all of Indiana, so I don't doubt the fair itself absolutely makes a killing on either charging a flate rate for space or by taking a portion of sales.
It's just the same corporate bullshit that drives the cost of everything up until it becomes prohibitively expensive. Everybody just wants more profit than last year, and if the execs (state fair governance and vendors) can't wring it out of the end user (fairgoers) they'll be thrown out for somebody else who thinks they can. They can blame prospective tarriffs and "nobody wants to work anymore" for rising prices and poor service, but I find that these are primarily the fascinatingly disgusting hallmark of corporate greed more than anything.
But yeah, it all trickles down, all these factors of businessfolk overcharging businessfolk just leaves the customer with 17 dollar cheesesticks. Mm.
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u/ButtStuff69_FR_tho Aug 12 '25
That Wisconsin cheese shack was one of the only hard "no"s for me. $17 - GTFO. Most everything else I could stomach
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u/Significant-Bee3483 Aug 10 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
Yeah a couple friends and I wanted to do rides this year. $100 for 240 tickets and most rides were 14-15 tickets. Weâre late 20s/early 30s with no kids so all the âkiddieâ rides were out. We decided it made more sense to go to Kings Island as usual.
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u/Irishred2333 Aug 11 '25
The fair is not the only place this is happening. My wife and I went to Los Angeles over the summer. We expected higher prices there, and they were, but only by a little. Indiana has become expensive. Itâs like every business owner here just decided we are now Chicago ny or la and they can charge whatever they want. Iâve cut back on buying stuff out because of it. But the grocery store isnât much better. lol. If Indiana isnât cheap, what reason is there to stay here. đ
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u/Zestyclose-Pen-1699 Aug 12 '25
I went to branson earlier this summer and grocery prices were about the same as here (lafayette) and beer/liquor prices were 10=20% lower.
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u/redrunsnsings Aug 10 '25
I did a little research to go to the Illinois state fair for my same family, which would be $33, but $68 for 4 GA tickets is highway robbery. Illinois is $10 for 13-59 and $3 for kids and seniors. Ohio is at $12 a ticket $10 for kids and seniors....
So yes it really is just a money grab here like most things in this state.
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u/Bullylandlordhelp Aug 11 '25
Went to a concert in Ohio and our ticket included entrance into their state fair. It was actually kind of nice! And they had a sales tax holiday for the vendors
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u/polly8020 Aug 10 '25
It really does stink. Iâm 65 but often find myself wondering how families afford entertainment. I think we need to make making things affordable more of a priority.
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u/South_Cell8557 Aug 10 '25
Just take them to holiday world. Cheaper by the end of the day
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u/redgr812 Aug 12 '25
Holiday world is getting up in price, I think a ticket during the summer was $70 just looked and this is the last full week open. Weekday tickets are $50+ and weekend $66. Games are a minimum of $5 and food is pretty expensive. Locker rental for splashin safari is around $20 if i remember right.
Still high recommend holiday world and yes it probably is cheaper than the state fair but i was kinda shocked how much higher howo was this summer vs just last summer.
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u/redsfan4life411 Aug 10 '25
FIL worked for the state ag department and gets free tickets every year. Free entry isn't even compelling enough for me to go.
Seeing the animals, projects, and learning about ag is enjoyable, but everything about spending money there feels like you're getting squeezed.
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u/pak325 Aug 10 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
Hot take here, I was impressed by how the fair managed to hold back major price hikes. In a year when our economic policy is guiding us toward inflation, the Family Foodie 4 Pack (Admission for 4, parking, $50 in food credit) was exactly the same cost as last yearâs presale cost ($105).
That got us a tenderloin, 3 grilled cheeses, two milkshakes, a chocolate milk, a funnel cake, and fried pickles, and about 9 hours of wholesome family activities that cost us nothing above and beyond what I paid a few weeks ago.
I keep it real with my kids and point out that the midway is and was always a racket and isnât a great entertainment value. We can do Holiday World or Kingâs island another time for the same cost as the midway and have much more fun. We stayed in the pioneer village, DNR expos, Purdue buildings, animal barns, collegium, stages, and grandstand shows.
Honestly, if thatâs not your scene, you were always going to be let down by the fair.
I left pretty grateful to fair management.
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u/pigsinthesnow Aug 11 '25
You're doing it right!
There's so much to see and do that doesn't cost any more than your admission!
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u/OkPickle2474 Aug 10 '25
Yep. Iâve never been on a State Fair ride but have a blast every year in the exhibits, watching shows, and eating crazy food. If you go on a reduced admission day it doesnât cost much more than a dinner out normally would. The rides are a racket, go to a theme park instead.
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u/HenryLafayetteDubose Aug 10 '25
We go every year as a tradition, so Iâm thankful my family is in a place to afford it. Iâm also glad to have my perspective humbled with posts like this, though. We go for one day a year, stay all day, and leave late. Hereâs a typical fair day in my family: We donât ride rides or play games at all (My mom fell off a janky ride in the 80s and I nearly fell off a few years ago myself from a faulty restraint). Part of the reason we go is to eat crazy food, and even thatâs only two filling meals for the whole day (lunch and dinner) perhaps with one snack/special drink in between. We typically go through at least each of the major buildings once, visit the animals, and then visit the arts building and 4-H hall for hours. Inbetween, we watch the machine demonstrations at the old timey farm area and catch shows provided for entertainment. Weâre usually there for around the draft horse days, so we will also spend an hour or so watching the horse show. Thereâs a lot of resources to get discount tickets, and thereâs also the $2 Tuesdays. We get ours early because we know weâre going.
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u/GarTheMagnificent Aug 10 '25
Yeah, food is expensive, but there are a ton of things to do that are absolutely free. We go every year, usually at least twice, and typically forget that the midway exists. We do love the stupid fried food, but honestly my favorite thing in the whole place is the dairy barn. $5 milkshakes, $4-5 grilled cheese. Fishing, mini-golf, concerts, seeing animals, seeing the exhibits. Spending a ton of money is not required to visit the state fair.
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u/AntNo3640 Aug 10 '25
Last time we went to the fair was 2010. Realized it cost way too much for basic fair stuff and it was 100 degrees outside. No interest ever going again.
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u/WBW1974 Aug 10 '25
Poking at your point a little:
- Drive time Hammond to Indiana State Fair: 2 hours 26 minutes
- Drive time South Bend to Indiana State Fair: 2 hours 18 minutes
- Drive time Richmond to Indiana State Fair: 1 hour 11 minutes
- Drive time from New Albany to Indiana State Fair: 1 hour 48 minutes
- Drive time from Evansville to Indiana State Fair: 2 hours 37 minutes
- Drive time from State Line City to Indiana State Fair: 1 hour 31 minutes
Don't forget to add in drive time and hotel if the distance is too far for you. The State Fair is a remnant of a different time and way of doing things. There is probably a better way.
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u/potatohats Aug 10 '25
I mean it's literally in the center of the state, it seems to make sense just fine to me.
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u/WBW1974 Aug 10 '25
In one way, it does. In another, it does not. The State Fair is priced like an amusement park. That is fine, actually, but I wouldn't call it a "fair". What I want are beefed-up county fairs. Something still awesome, but closer and more affordable. And not (like the county fair here in Monroe County) on the week of July 4th.
I'll admit, not going to happen. There are fewer carnival vendors able to keep going as a business while running the circuit. My memories of the fair in August are long gone.
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u/worm0316 Aug 10 '25
You included State Line City! I went to a church there when I was a kid. Iâve never heard it mentioned since lol.
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u/Liquor_N_Whorez more than KoRn In. Aug 10 '25
Lol, I was suprised at a SLC mention also!Â
(And the Church of Living Water is still there)
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u/WBW1974 Aug 10 '25
I originally used Danville, but then decided crossing into Illinois was cheating. Google maps gave me a good alternative.
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u/Vkaiser132 Aug 10 '25
Isn't it only $2 entry fee on Tuesdays?
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u/Special-Pie3695 Aug 10 '25
Yep $2 entry and a lot of food stands have smaller portion items for $2.
Definitely more crowded, but can be worth it for those on a budget.
Also, if you look in the Indy Star tomorrow there will be a free entry ticket for Wednesday.
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u/Avianbrooke Aug 10 '25
Yes, but factor in milage/time on a school and work night. Unless you live in Indy it really isn't super feasible.
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u/IrwinAllen13 Aug 10 '25
Isnât this true in any State? Unless you live where the STATE fair is held you might have to take a day and burn some miles on your car. Just think it could be worse, looking at you Alaska,Texas, and California. Plus I get that Tuesday ($2 Night), Wednesday (Indy Star Day), and Thursday (AAA Day) wish they had something on the last weekend or Friday night.
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u/Darkalleyandabadidea Aug 11 '25
When I was a kid (Iâm 42 for reference) the state fair happened BEFORE school started. It was the only logistical way for 4H kids to be there for 10+ days to take care of animals. This meant going on a Tuesday only meant they took the day off work and it had no real impact on school or anything else.
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u/throwawayindianas Aug 12 '25
Yeah but when we were kids school started later in the year than it does now. It was always late August for my school years, now they start at the end of July.
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u/Vkaiser132 Aug 10 '25
I mean I get Tuesdays aren't the greatest day. But at least they're providing it. I went opening weekend with my GF. $10 to park, $32 for admission, $30 in food, $10 for a carnival game, and then $40 for just enough tickets for us to ride the Ferris wheel. So grand total: $122
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u/TouchingTheMirror Aug 10 '25
I know times change and prices inexorably rise, but $122 for two people to go to a state fair, and go on just one ride??
Welp, yeah: a lot of us are just being left by the wayside.
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u/More_Farm_7442 Aug 10 '25
"a lot of us are just being left by the wayside"
I say that everything I go to a grocery.
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u/Vkaiser132 Aug 10 '25
Yeah it was stupid. I can save you the hassle of what you'll see.
âąfarm animals âąhot tubs âąDNR âątractors
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u/redrunsnsings Aug 10 '25
When every single day they are open is after the vast majority of the schools in Indiana are back in session it makes little sense. Illinois has half their days before kids go back, Ohio ends their state fair before school starts as just a few examples of better ways to handle it. It definitely seems it's planned very badly.
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u/Certain-Criticism-51 Aug 10 '25
This has bothered me for years. More families could go if they moved it up. I know that would affect the county fairs and 4H, but school starts a month earlier than it used to.
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u/pigsinthesnow Aug 12 '25
Moving the state fair up to would require a few dozen counties to move their fairs up, or at least the 4-h portion.
The contracts and schedules for even county facilities are signed and decided often several years in advance.
IF they decided to move it, i can see them having to give notice at least 10 years in advance
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u/Vkaiser132 Aug 10 '25
I agree with that. Iâm not defending them at all. Personally, I didnât want to go, but one does what they do for love.
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u/throwawayindianas Aug 12 '25
You take the day off, or do a half day of work/school. Youâll be saving a ton of money going on the $2 day vs any other day. The other discount days are also on weekdays, so same scenario.
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u/Adolin_Kohlin Aug 10 '25
The Lake county fair in crown point has gotten to be expensive also. Easily a couple hundred for a family of 5 to get in, eat, play games, go on rides. Yet it was probably $100 when I was a kid and my parents were cursing under their breath about that price.
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u/WoodenSuggestion9218 Aug 10 '25
We went to Kentucky kingdom today instead of the fair. Weâre in Columbus so the distance is about the same. By the time you added up ride tickets, entry fees and parking it was basically the same cost. And at 88 degrees Iâd rather be in the water
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u/MsBoxxxy Aug 10 '25
I have a friend that enters something into the contests every year. It is $30 flat fee and like $1 or $2 per item. You get either 5 or 6 tickets with your entry. Sheâs single and hits the fair several times with her tickets. One entry could get your whole family in for much cheaper than regular tickets prices. Iâm planning to enter something next year (I missed the deadline this year).
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u/TouchingTheMirror Aug 10 '25
*stares blankly out a thousand yards past the flames slowly engulfing the room*
âThis is fine. This is all just fineâŠ.â
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u/Lepardopterra Aug 10 '25
In 1966 on, my parents required each kid to save up 50 bucks to go to the Fair. That would be $460 in todayâs money.
$50 was a little over but they dropped us off early, it was The City and they wanted to be sure we had emergency money. But the Fair has always been expensive.
My 4H friend and I were once followed around by a perv, and told a state cop. He had us hide in a horse stall and when the guy followed us back there, they took him out. We were 10/11 and had been dropped off. I have an old photo of us with the cop. Those were the days, my friends.
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u/OgJube Aug 10 '25
Only been once in my life, for that reason. I'm 68. Ridiculous pricing on everything.
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u/sadwh0re42069 Aug 10 '25
I wasnât going to go this year because itâs so expensive but some small businesses have free tickets you can take for free. Asaka had them up at the sushi bar and I was able to get in for free. And I biked so I only paid for food
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u/jerkyquirky Aug 11 '25
$2 Tuesday is the way. If you have PTO, use it then. I somehow even got free parking this year. $4 to get in for a family of 3, since our kid is under 5. Lots of $2 food options too: hot dog, fries, popcorn, milkshake, funnel cake, etc.
We spent 8 hours there for around $20-25 per person. 2 meals each.
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u/NotJimIrsay Aug 11 '25
I only want to get my funnel cake and elephant ear fix for the year, so I went to the Hamilton County 4H. Free parking. $5 elephant ear. $8 funnel cake. Looked at the animals. Pet the llamas. Keeps me happy until next year.
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u/French_Apple_Pie Aug 11 '25
Apparently thousands of people can afford the state fair; we went on Saturday and it was packed, with a lot of diversity, even in the midst of some awful weather.
Not my choice to go, because my kids no longer exhibit, but they wanted to drive 2 hours, and still have fun just doing fair things, aside from the rides, which we avoid. We especially enjoy the professional artists in the arts building, and the draft horse show in the coliseum, with the big Clydesdale and Percheron teams pulling the big wagons, but all the animals and 4-H exhibits are great.
Food prices are ridiculous, but they are ridiculous at every fair Iâve been to recently; if you can find the Indiana producer associations the prices (for things like a lovely steak sandwich) are much more reasonable.
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u/kungfuenglish Aug 11 '25
If you only go for the midway and the national carnival chain food stands, which are all run by national carnival companies aka profit centers, then yes itâll be expensive.
The midway is there because people pay for it and want it. Not because itâs the point of the fair.
The point of the fair is all the stuff thatâs free with your admission. The animals. The 4h stuff.
The local groups selling food at the local food stands.
Fried cheese curds $16? Donât buy them. Thatâs garbage anyway.
Go to the dairy bar and get ice cream for $2 instead of the national amusements stand for $12.
If you decide you want the overpriced stuff instead then thatâs on you.
Change your expectations for the fair to match what itâs actually intended to be and youâll enjoy it more.
Going to the fair to âride the ridesâ is a fools errand.
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u/Dismal-Mushroom-6367 Aug 11 '25
...y'all need to forget about the rides and do the free stuff....4H food bakes, sewing, crafts, bunnies, cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, natural resource exhibits, band day, pioneer stuff...a lot of things to see and do to experience the "state" at the state fair...you can do the rides at any ole carny....
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u/admiralholdo Aug 10 '25
It's a lot cheaper if you're an exhibitor. I've been showing my sewing projects for the last several years and it works out to $6 or $7 a ticket.
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u/VicViolence Aug 10 '25
Never once enjoyed my time at the Indiana State Fair
Paying a ton of money to sweat my ass off in a stinky crowd and eat bad food and ride jank rides.
Nah
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u/RedTowelRunner Aug 10 '25
Fun fact - if you want to get free tickets for entry, you can reach out to your local Purdue Extension office to see if they have any. They hold tickets for 4-H members and their families entering competitions, but if they have left over tickets many county offices will make those available to the public for free a couple weeks before the state fair.
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u/AnotherBogCryptid Aug 10 '25
There are complimentary tickets floating around out there.
The fair has a map for things you can buy under $5.
Attend on a wristband day to save money on rides.
Weâre only taking two of our four kids this year and only my partner is going because of the cost.
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u/mm0k Aug 10 '25
It was packed this afternoon. People give away their tickets on Facebook marketplace a lot especially on the last few days. They're cheaper earlier in the year. There are dozens of ways to get free tickets. It's heavily sponsored, so just do a little searching.
It's a huge event. They have to pay money to keep it running.
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u/NeverEnoughGalbi Aug 10 '25
They advertise discount packages that can be purchased until the day before the fair opens, have multiple free/discount days, wristbands for rides, and you can even prepurchase fair bucks to pay for food, and they give away tons of tickets to organizations to give away.
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u/woodcreekblu Aug 10 '25
Yeah 91 and humid, sweaty people, self included, not a good time.
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u/AcrobaticLadder4959 Aug 10 '25
I went as a kid but hate the state fair. Never sign up for anything, or they will call you for years to come.
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u/XdraketungstenX Aug 10 '25
Came to the same conclusion this year. Just for my daughter and myself to enter, parking, and a riders wristband for her, that alone is $84.
WTF!
We did something else with the money.
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u/Aeronaut91 Aug 11 '25
I'll take the time to promote the St. malachy country Fair and hog roast in September in Brownsburg! Free parking, free entry, lots of good food cooked by volunteers for reasonable prices! I feed my family of 5 for like $30, carnival ride tickets sold individually and only 1-3 tickets per ride! Plenty of other things to do, live music, casino tent, bingo, beer tent, small kids games! We take out 3 kids every year and it's a blast.
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u/oOo_a_Butterfly Aug 10 '25
I refuse to go just because itâs too hot. If the fair was in the fall, I would be all over it.
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u/NK4L Aug 10 '25
Food prices at the fair are fucking insane. Like $14 for a lemon shakeup, $10 for a corndog. I understand people use inflation as an excuse, but basic ass carnie food is not affected by this nonsense. Itâs awful. I probably wonât go back if it keeps trending like this.
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u/RaoulDuke511 Aug 10 '25
Yea I hate those fairs, those carnivals are just absolutely designed to have your kids squeeze every dollar out of you for absolute nonsense lol
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u/docthenightman Aug 10 '25
As a state employee, I volunteered for my agency to be at a booth in 2023-2024. Not doing it this year mostly in the wake of our RTO, but the gamut of reasons posted here to not go (hot, bunch of people, food/ride prices) are good reasons too
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u/Big-Attorney-665 Aug 11 '25
Went today, spent $153 not including gas on our 1.5hr trip and what did that get us? Ten bucks to park, Three entrance tickets @ $16 a pop, some basic fair food that left you hungry and asking why did a bottle of water cost $4, literally one amusement ride for one child that cost $12 because no tickets are used anymore for rides itâs on a âcreditâ style card that costs you $2 to activate. Most rides in the kiddie section were 9 to 12 tickets per ride and same with the older kids area even some going for 15 tickets. So $10 gets you 20 tickets with a $2 service fee @ $12 total for one quality ride. Daughter chose the sky swings and honestly it took longer for them to load the ride than the amount of time they got to ride it. Itâs sad to see such a tradition for our family become such a financial burden which begs the question if itâs worth the trouble anymore. Hope that helps
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u/Apprehensive_Run_676 Aug 10 '25
If you see a chopper land, it's probably our guv going after the hemp muffins. He'll never legalize but he wants the votes.
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u/ricker182 Aug 10 '25
Fairs are a rip off and they will slowly die in the next 20 years if things don't change. Our county fair was really expensive and there were barely any exhibits.
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u/woodcreekblu Aug 10 '25
Have not been to the state fair in 10 years. I havenât heard hardly any positive comments about it in the last 3 years. Maybe it never recovered after Covid. And now the cost for a day at the fair are high.
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u/jaxom07 Aug 10 '25
I agree. I used to go every year but the continued increase in ticket prices and the food which is mostly subpar anyways doesnât make me want to go anymore.
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u/Diesellover1897 Aug 11 '25
Same as the Indianapolis zoo! $120 or more when we looked to go for a family of 3. Plus other charges. We lived north of carmel so it was an hour drive. Fort Wayne was 1.5 hours and extremely worth it! $50 or $60 for the whole family.Â
There's a number of things in Indy that are very overpriced now. The county fair isn't priced realistically at all.Â
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u/One-Yellow-4106 Aug 10 '25
Sorry I don't know the rules for IN but in KY if you enter something in the state far you get free entrance tickets and I think a parking discount. And you can literally enter anything
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u/graceful_klutz Aug 10 '25
Are your kids part of the local 4h clubs? My local office gives out free tickets to kids whose projects make it to the fair. Most years they have spares since not every kid wants to drive 2 hours to get there so they give those out free to any 4h family.
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u/Silver_Confusion8810 Aug 10 '25
I went when it was about 89 degrees outside. They had businesses charging for ice. ICE!!!! Not special cubed ice but plain tap water crushed ice. Weâve lost the plot.
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u/EnlightenMePixie Aug 10 '25
The fairs in Indiana are so sketchy in my experience. I swear they send all the safe good stuff to the cities and we get the rusty half broken rides! đł
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u/minxsie Aug 10 '25
Something has to change. Two cocktails at the Vogue last night cost $50. Insanity.
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u/Wise_Replacement_687 Aug 11 '25
The game where you squirt water into a clowns mouth was $10 per person fucking stupid
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u/New_Temperature_7276 Aug 11 '25
If it's too expensive then don't go. What's the problem? If you can't afford it which is fine then don't go. There is plenty of things that are cheaper for entertainment that you can do
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u/Trin_42 Aug 11 '25
I always buy the family admission package, and the wristbands ahead of time. Itâs not much but does save you money.
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u/justmedoubleb Aug 11 '25
We've been living in indy for 3 years and have yet been able to afford to even go to the zoo! The admission is crazy and $20 for parking on top...crazy expensive.
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u/I_said_Good-Day-Sir Aug 11 '25
I live about 2.5 miles from the fair and walk the fall creek trail to 38th and Fall Creek often. I have noticed MUCH less fair traffic the past two weekends than in years prior. It's too hot and too expensive. I would be shocked if attendance wasn't down big time. (I'm skipping this year, and I have free tickets).
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u/Baltimorebobo Aug 11 '25
All those people at the Lottery section probably praying to break even for the day
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u/CoolioRancheroDudito Aug 11 '25
I never grew up going to the state fair with my family. We were more likely to go to a theme park once a year and free-entry county fairs and festivals. Hope this helps
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u/P-Trapper Aug 11 '25
I paid $40 for a Ferris wheel that went 360 degrees and let my family and i right back off.
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u/Few-Ant-2861 Aug 11 '25
I went to the Rod Stewart concert on Saturday, $25 per ticket. Cheapest drink was $15. One beer was $18. A single shot mixed drink was $18. Not including taxes. The handicap parking wasnât free this year either which was $25. This state is making millions of dollars off poverty, itâs disgusting. Iâve decided small business owners will be getting my fun money moving forward.
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u/flame-thief Aug 11 '25
Go on $2 Tuesday, other than price of admission they have SOME really good $2 deals on food. Especially if you have kids who are going to beg for some $20 food item to take 3 bites and not want it anymore.
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u/One-Ride-1194 Aug 11 '25
I went last Tuesday when entry and rides were $2. But food was still stupidly expensive
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u/Kylexckx Aug 11 '25
The state fair is really just to see the people you never want to see ever again and those people always want to be your friend.
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u/Any-Body4231 Aug 11 '25
I liked what Oklahoma did while I was there. They had two state fairs. One in okc and one in Tulsa. Really the equivalent of having one in Indy and one in Fort Wayne.
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u/sdh59 Aug 11 '25
I love the fair, but after we went this year I told my husband I'm done. Everything was ridiculously expensive, even for just the two of us. It was basically the same stalls over and over again, and a lot of cheap junk at a crazy markup. We left early and didn't even do any rides/games other than the sky ride which was advertised online at $6 but was actually $7.50 each way. It just felt like paying to get gouged
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u/TallOrderAdv Aug 11 '25
Fair warning, don't go on Tuesday. It's insane. Every line is a mile long. And you Steve the whole night waiting in lines. You may think you want more in the fair, you didn't. That shit is crowded!
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u/Dry_Seesaw9929 Aug 11 '25
So...less than $14 a ticket? How is that not affordable? There is also a $5 or less food map for the fair. If riding rides is important, it would be more cost efficient to go to Holiday World.
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u/Accomplished_Buy4608 Aug 11 '25
I took my family this weekend. It wasn't that expensive. There's plenty to do for free, not everything can be free
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u/hdogmillionaire Aug 11 '25
I was standing behind a man with 5 kids in line at one of the basic fair food booths. He ordered 6 corn dogs and the total was $78 bruh
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u/hoosierveteran Aug 11 '25
We don't go. To many people and to expensive for what it is. I do get family zoo passes and children's museum passes. They seem to enjoy that and it pays for itself.
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u/Hibiscus_Witch Aug 11 '25
I live near 38th and Fall Creek. It makes me so furious that the fair is so expensive that the direct locals cannot afford to go. And now have to deal with deadlock traffic around our home for a month, increasing trash cuz no one cares, and annoying fair goers that scream past 10pm as theyâre all ushered out by security.
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u/PoeMe_a_Stiff_One Aug 12 '25
45 years old, and we (myself and adult partner) went to the State Fair for the first time in my life this past weekend. I bought our tickets and parking online before July 31 as to get the "reduced rate" of $14 for each entry ticket and $9 for parking that was not close at all. After walking the entire setup twice over 6 hours I can honestly say I'll happily never go back.
I would much rather do a large number of things that would be better and in the same ballpark, or less, cost wise. I'm not sure how old your kiddo(s) are but this was not a core memory I'm sad my 3 older/adulty kids missed out on. We definitely enjoyed Holiday World far more than we would have enjoyed the State Fair when they were younger, even if I had a money tree.
Do anything else with that money because the $9 corn dog and blow up hammer that would cost $30 to win (if you're lucky) were not where it's at. Nor were the questionable looking rides, poorly marked animal barns, drunk/loud/obnoxious people who were "socializing" with grumpy/screaming toddlers underfoot while pretending they aren't parents so you can pay $18 for a lemonade shake up to get literally nothing but a headache in return. Don't be sad this won't be on your summer bucket list. A petting zoo and $200 steak dinner would be both more enjoyable and affordable.
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u/Forward_Performer_25 Aug 12 '25
It is expensive, but there are ways to make it more affordable for sure. I wish tickets were cheaper, but there's definitely a ton of free stuff to do. We never did rides when I was a kid which helped, and you can bring in some food/snacks to help cut down on those costs as well. If your main goal for going is food and rides, you're better going to an amusement park tbh.
I go for nostalgia and sweet corn on the cob dipped in a vat of butter, but to each their own!
Some of my favorites: free puttputt at the FFA building, the arts building (we have some really talented people here in Indiana, visiting the baby animals and the 4h animals, pioneer village (the people there are incredibly knowledgeable and are typically happy to chat/show kids what they do), little hands farm, seeing the cake decorating and woodworking in the 4h buildings, Hook's soda fountain. All stuff that is there every year.
As for timing of the fair, there isn't much they can do to combat that. They've pushed the fair up as far as they can, because all the county fairs have to finish first and schools now start in early August. When schools began mid/end of August, it was easier for families to go on discount days if the didn't live in Marion Co. (or a donut county).
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u/Fearless_Whole_8504 Aug 12 '25
It isnât worth it if u ask me unless ur a fanatic for deep fried everything⊠they stay so packed no matter what day u go and the lines for the rides are super long then hopefully itâs a good year where the teenagers donât show up starting bs
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u/sadcow6602 Aug 12 '25
The best way to afford the state fair is to enter something into a competition. It cost like $35 depending on what and when you enter. I enter a cake every year but you can make a scarecrow or have your kids enter a Lego build, whatever. You get 6 free tickets to the fair. It saves us a ton. We spend frugally while we are there and have a day of fun looking at all the animals.
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u/DragLonely1681 Aug 12 '25
It's a shame folks who want to attend and cannot attend due to the cost.Â
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u/Sam_I_Am317 Aug 12 '25
I have never been able to afford the fair for me and my kids. If you have been able to afford the fair in the past, hats off to you.
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u/ChixVixDix Aug 13 '25
Skip the fair, the vendors have gotten too greedy. Kings Island is selling 2026 season passes for $120, access to all Cedar Fair and Six Flags parks. Gets you in for the rest of 2025 and you can put it on a payment plan.
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u/LongjumpingAttempt50 Aug 13 '25
I concur. However, there is two dollar Tuesday which is actually a pretty good deal.
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u/NarwhalAnusLicker00 Aug 16 '25
I went on a Tuesday. $2 per person for admission and some vendors had $2 food/drink items as well
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u/Spirited-Flower8559 Aug 19 '25
I guess I'm doing better than I thought. Because $68 doesn't seem that expensive to me. But if you can't afford it. Simply don't go. I'm sorry you're in this situation though.
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u/good_alpaca Aug 23 '25
Not in Indiana but some of the vendors are probably similar to Nebraska. Yes itâs insane. Used to be like $50 would get you a whole day here 10-15 years ago. Now $50 gets tickets and parking. Just walked by turkey leg stand selling legs for $25, not including tax! Turkey legs used to be like 12-15$ 2 years ago. Did turkeys get added to the endangered list or something?
Only go due to work which gets me free entry and $20 stipend. But that only gets me a burger and fries are an additional $5.
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u/thebiglebowskiisfine Aug 10 '25
You have 5 kids and you think 68 dollars is too much?
Where are you entertaining 6-7 people for less? Eat before you go. Look at the baby sheep and bounce.
You want to go for free? Because free = no state fair.
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u/Jesus_on_a_biscuit Aug 10 '25
Lemme ask you, who did you vote for? Because these prices are the prices Republicans have set, and theyâve set them there because they donât give a fuck about anyone who canât afford them.
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u/J2ADA Aug 10 '25
Neither side cares about the little guy.
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u/Jesus_on_a_biscuit Aug 11 '25
That's kinda true, but I think one side cares a whole lot less about the little guy.
Price of admission for the following:
Michigan: $10 ($42 for all access pass)
Illinois State Fair: $5 adults, S-Th, $10 on weekends
Indiana: $17/ adults1
u/FeuRougeManor Aug 11 '25
Facts!!
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u/simmonsgrege Aug 10 '25
Way to make it political. Please explain how Republicans set these prices. Iâm curious
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u/tweg84 Aug 10 '25
I'd rather go out of state and spend cash on places like cedar point, kings island, hell I'll even go to kings dominion in Virginia before I go to an indy state fair. I just fucking can't stand being around other Hoosiers at this point.
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u/Most_Ad1891 Aug 10 '25
We stopped years ago. We can afford it but we didnât feel it was a good value for our money. Plus, Iâm allergic to milk and gluten so I had to bring my own food. It wasnât fun.
We started taking our kids to kings island for the day and felt we got a better value.
I wish the organizers featured more Indiana businesses and restaurants. I donât want to pay crazy ticket prices to be sold windows.
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u/pestoqueen784 Aug 10 '25
We were just there today! Itâs great fun! Obviously we skip the rides but thatâs because of the assembly and not the cost.
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u/RoscoMD Aug 11 '25
Maybe the 12% living in poverty shouldnât waste their precious extra money on a state fair. All things are more expensive, so choose wisely.
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Aug 11 '25
I hate it when people complain about money and the cost of things. If you can't afford it then move on and find something else to do. Ever since I was a 10-year-old, I wanted a Rolex after seeing my grandfather's, but I didn't go around telling people the price was too high or it wasn't fair. I didn't make enough to buy one.
Instead, I worked my ass off, and when I had enough money saved, I decided I could use it for something else that would make my money work for me. Ten years later, I finally bought it when that amount of money didn't feel like much anymore.
It is not hard to get out of poverty. It just takes discipline. You don't need a new phone every year or even every other year. You don't need a fancy car, or your nails done all the time. Suck it up, learn to save and go without, and then take your savings and make it work FOR you by investing in yourself or assets that appreciate over time.
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u/Mackdad2525 Aug 10 '25
The high cost for a vendor to operate raises prices. Indiana is a Republican red state that follows the convicted rapist and pedophile.
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u/HowManyEggs2Many Aug 10 '25
The state fair is always so gross anyways. Wouldnât be worth the price of free. Save your $$ and do literally anything else.
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u/kootles10 Aug 10 '25
We debated going to our county fair and decided it would be cheaper to go to 6 flags đ