COLUMBUS, Ohio—Donut burgers, butter cows and deep fried everything—this can only mean the Ohio State Fair has come to town.
- Fair goes from July 24 through August 4
- More than 200 food vendors
- Sensory Day for people with autism and sensory needs July 31
Now in its 166th year, the Fair is in full swing. It began Wednesday and will go on through August 4.
While many go for the rides or animals, there's one attraction that people can’t get enough of year after year – the food.
“The swiss cheese on a stick. Italian sausage. Funnel cakes. Frankly it's all good," said a fairgoer.
"That's what I like…the corn dog, the funnel cake, the soft pretzels and the cotton candy. And the sweet tea at Tracey’s,” said a fairgoer.
Tracey's has been serving up Fair goodies since 1956.
Generations of the Tracey family make the Ohio State Fair their working reunion.
And this year, they're offering something new – a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Corndog.
“Cheetos in the corndog batter with Frank's RedHot sauce. So, it's like an orange batter… it's not the yellow corn meal and we have the Cheetos on top and we've got RedHot sauce that you can put on top and dip in ranch, so it's a little spicy… it's not your typical corndog,” said Aaron Tracey, of Tracey’s.
From deep-fried corn dogs to deep-fried corn and deep-fried gummy hamburgers—the food is sure to please the most adventurous of palates.
More than 200 food vendors are selling everything from the traditional burgers, dogs, fries and sandwiches, to new items like pickle popsicles.
Alicia Shoults, the Fair’s marketing and public relations director, says that food is a big driver for attendance.
“You can't experience a lot of the Fair food in everyday life, and people come here to kind of get out of their comfort zone a little bit and try maybe a donut burger or a deep-fried candy bar. And I think that people just really love food,” said Shoults.
But no matter what you try, fans say the fun part is eating it.
“Eating it all...eating as much as my stomach can take,” said a fairgoer.
Gates to the Fair are open every day from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., except on the last day, when they close at 6 p.m.
And a reminder— the Ohio State Fair is offering something new this year.
On July 31st from 10 am to 1 pm, they're hosting a "Sensory Day" for people with autism and special sensory needs.
Fairgoers will be able to ride the rides without the flashing lights or any music.
They'll also get to explore the Midway and all of the other activities on a much quieter level.
Fair admission prices and other information can be found here.