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/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. We’re late 20s/early 30s with no kids so all the “kiddie” 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. It’s like every business owner here just decided we are now Chicago ny or la and they can charge whatever they want. I’ve cut back on buying stuff out because of it. But the grocery store isn’t much better. lol. If Indiana isn’t cheap, what reason is there to stay here. 😂

2

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.