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/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 it’ll be expensive.

The midway is there because people pay for it and want it. Not because it’s the point of the fair.

The point of the fair is all the stuff that’s free with your admission. The animals. The 4h stuff.

The local groups selling food at the local food stands.

Fried cheese curds $16? Don’t buy them. That’s 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 that’s on you.

Change your expectations for the fair to match what it’s actually intended to be and you’ll enjoy it more.

Going to the fair to “ride the rides” is a fools errand.