Everything's bigger in ... Indiana?

People might say everything’s bigger in Texas but, from the look of things around the fairgrounds the last week, the Indiana State Fair might be ready to take that claim to fame.

First, there were the trusses of the 71-foot long Boy Scouts Legacy Project Bridge that went up the last two weeks (see photo at left). The entire bridge is expected to be completed by Aug. 6. Then, on Monday, crews were busy installing the 25-foot-tall “God Bless America” sculpture in the Dow AgroSciences Celebration Park on the northwest side of the fairgrounds. The J. Seward Johnson piece of public art, based on Grant Wood’s iconic “American Gothic” painting, will be on display during the fair, Aug. 6-22.

Miss the installation? Check out our time-lapse video below:




Submitted by Kristofer Karol

Sprucing up the old "house"

If you complain about having to clean your abode, try scrubbing down and sprucing up a 250-acre "house." That's what crews are busy doing with just three weeks to go until fair time at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The fairgrounds doesn't magically look immaculate for the Indiana State Fair; a lot of work goes into ensuring the State Fairgrounds looks nice for its nearly 1 million visitors.

Below are just some shots of prep work going on around the fairgrounds this week:

Teams are busy laying down the concrete foundation for the Boy Scouts of America's Legacy Bridge Project. Once completed, the bridge will be 71 feet long of Indiana Hardwood Lumber just north of the Speed Barns.

What? You didn't think the crosswalk stripes came as naturally white as Dairy Bar vanilla ice cream, did you?

There's been plenty of activity near the Swine Barn, too. Appropriate enough, given it is the "Year of Pigs!"

Did we mention it's "Year of Pigs?" You won't have to go far to find your porky pals at the fair this year. The gift shop will sell everything from bacon bandages to bacon-flavored lip balm. I wonder if my girlfriend has egg-flavored lip balm -- that'd be a way to start the day! Pucker up, dear!

Enjoy old tractors and farm machinery? There's plenty of each now just west of Pioneer Village.

This space looks pretty empty now, but don't be fooled -- it will be home to the Habitat for Humanity AgHome soon enough.






Our Executive Director, Cindy Hoye, 18 days before opening day of the Indiana State Fair. Lots of reading material, a few phone messages, and plenty of e-mails. Don't miss the caffeine and her "when pigs fly" ornament, hanging from the computer!

See you at the Great Indiana State Fair!

Submitted by Kristofer Karol