Kiss Up to the Queen!

Introduction by Courtney Sampson, Publicity & Media Relations Intern

Hey friends,
If you haven't met Denae Pyle yet, you're in for a real treat! Denae became the official hostess of our State Fair when she earned the title of 2010 Indiana State Fair Queen. Occasionally, we will re-post some of Denae's entries from her personal blog, "Pig Crazy Queen," which she updates regularly on her journey visiting Indiana's County Fairs and the Indiana State Fair. Get to know her as she chronicles A Day in the Life of a Pig Crazy Queen.

Th-th-th-that's all, folks!
Courtney

Holy Cow! Uh, I mean, Holy Pig! I’m here at the 2010 Great Indiana State Fair, and I’m busy meeting our fairgoers! Have you attended the State Fair “Year of Pigs” yet? Before time runs out…I wanted to let you all know that I am excited to be a part of the American Diabetes Association’s “Kiss a Pig” fundraiser to help the 24 million Americans who suffer from diabetes. If you feel compelled to “vote” for me, you can go to the following website http://bit.ly/bHwXqX, and make a donation.

Each dollar counts as one vote towards me “Kissing a Pig” on August 19 at 10:30 a.m. on the Buckle Up Main Street Stage at the Indiana State Fair! All of the donations go directly towards the American Diabetes Association to help stop diabetes across America and our great Hoosier state. I want to “Kiss a Pig” to show our gratitude towards pigs – Did you know pigs were the first source of insulin for humans with diabetes?

Thank you, thank you to everyone who has already donated! Again, I hope to see you all at the Indiana State Fair sometime soon – it lasts until Aug. 22! Please feel free to stop me and say “Hi!” I have my own golf cart, but you’ll probably recognize me with my long, red, curly hair and tiara!

Here are a few shots – hangin’ out at the State Fair!
Thank you all so much for your support throughout this summer!
See you at the fair.
- Denae

Submitted by: Courtney Sampson, Intern

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