Ohio State Fair 2013

 

 

 

 The Cardinal is the Ohio state bird and he greets you at the entrance to the Ohio State fair in Columbus, in a big way! I love a state fair, a county fair, any kind of fair really and this one did not disappoint. Being one of the largest fairs in the United States it has a lot to see and do... and eat. We spent the day and didn't even go on any rides.

 

I love to see everything that is hand made by amazingly creative people whether it's a long flowing, intricately hand-cut, paper sculpture in the Cox Fine Arts building, to a hand-pieced and embroidered American quilt in the DiSalle Creative Arts building. In the Heritage Crafts building we met a lovely couple who own the Ohio Colonial Soap Company. Not only do they make soap but the most beautiful brooms. They explained all the steps to making a handmade broom from planting, growing, drying, etc. A real labor of love and so reasonable for the amount of work. Cakes, pies, cookies, jams and jellies, pickles, relishes, you name it and some one has made it and you can file past cabinets and see the ribbons on the best. There was even a competition for making things out of Duct tape and Brillo pads-amazing creations!

 

What would a state fair be without animals?  Horses, cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, and pigs. The schedules per day full of competitions and shows.

 

 

 

 

These little cuties were born at the fair and were five days old. If you can't get enough of the real animals then you can see the Butter Cow and calf and this years surprise, the choir. Eight thousand sticks of butter were used to make this years butter sculptures! They are kept in a 45 degree cooler.

 

 

 Of course there are buildings of Antiques and Collectibles, Marketplaces and
all kinds of shopping opportunity's. Cooking demonstrations and contests. Buildings devoted to corn, soy beans, and farming and you can try your hand at milking a cow. There was even Ohio wine education and sampling!

I really enjoyed the Natural Resources Park at the back of the fairgrounds. A beautiful 8-acre green area with a Butterfly house where you can observe swallowtail butterflies as they fly free; learn about Native Ohio animals like fox and flying squirrels; walk through a tall-grass prairie full of beautiful wildflowers; learn to kayak in a small pond; or sit and enjoy a Bluegrass band play music outside of a log cabin.

 

 

I also learned about Ohio State Parks and Nature Reserves throughout the state and picked up maps to help me find them. Viewed fossils and even camping opportunity's whether it be tent camping or renting a cabin or yurt. Overall just a celebration of natural Ohio.

 

Of course a fair wouldn't be complete without the fair food.  However I like to get something that is unique to an area. You can get deep-fried "anything and everything" at all fairs. For me it was the spicy Bahama Mama sausage from Schmidt's Sausage Haus. This Columbus institution has been in business since 1886 in German Village. The Bahama Mama is a mildly spicy German style sausage served on a square hot dog bun (reminiscent of a real Maine lobster roll bun.) The sausage has just the right amount of snap from the casing and with a good slather of mustard it is perfect! Of course we couldn't pass up their cream puff which they are also famous for and it was quite good. The filling is whipped cream and vanilla pudding...how can you go wrong?  This fifth generation restaurant was featured on TV's Man Vs. Food.

 

So if you can get yourselves to the Fair before it ends, which is in just a few days, August 4th, GO! If not, by all means get yourself to any State or County Fair and enjoy and celebrate your own area.