Take a Swing with Travelers at the Indiana State Fair

Travelers will be at the State Fair with an array of fun activities for fairgoers to enjoy. From testing out their golf skills at the famous Chipping Challenge to win an iPod, to the interactive driving game and cell phone charging station, this booth is definitely worth a stop for the whole family. In addition, participants can learn more about safe driving habits and the benefits of Travelers new product, IntelliDrive®.

Chipping Challenge: Fans can take a golf shot at a floating green in the shape of the iconic Travelers red umbrella. For every hole-in-one throughout the weekend, fans will win an iPod.

Photo Experience: Fans can have a souvenir picture taken and placed on the official program cover of the State Fair.

               

Travelers IntelliDrive Experience: A customized interactive Driving Game that shows participants how to become safer drivers and how Travelers IntelliDrive can help consumers monitor their driving habits, while also saving money. IntelliDrive is an innovative way to price auto insurance that offers a discount at renewal for low mileage vehicles. Mileage is tracked via a device that is easily inserted into your vehicle. The IntelliDrive Program can help Travelers customers become safer drivers.

Additional Travelers Activities:  Travelers is giving away prizes to those who complete a survey, available on a first-come, first-serve basis. They are also offering a cell phone charging station at the event site.

The Travelers Tent is located at the southwest corner of Celebration Park – look for the red tent tops. Make sure you stop by soon, Travelers will only be there from Friday, August 2 to Sunday, August 4.

Written by Rachel Feldman

Winchester Takes the Title!

Congratulations to Winchester Community High School for winning its third straight Indiana State Fair Band Day title!

Winchester students credit the band’s success to director Douglas Fletcher's goal to present a positive idea to the audience and band members while sending students away with lifelong lessons. The theme of this year’s show was “Facing Life’s Giant.”

“Extra hard work and sending a good message is what Band Day is all about for Winchester,” said senior Megan Baly.

The results for the “Sweet Sixteen” are as follows:

1. Winchester Community High School
2. Muncie Southside High School
3. Richmond High School
4. Anderson High School
5. Centerville High School
6. Jay County High School
7. Kokomo High School
8. East Central High School
9. Noblesville High School
10. Northeastern Jr/Sr High School
11. Mooresville High School
12. Hagerstown High School
13. Muncie Central High School
14. Lebanon High School
15. Yorktown High School
16. Monroe Central Jr/Sr High School

Posted by: Hilary Welter

Making a house a home at the Indiana State Fair

Most people will say their favorite part of the Great Indiana State fair is the food or the midway, but truly there is so much more to the fair…there’s the Hoosier Spirit. The Habitat for Humanity Home located on the north side is a showcase of the heart and soul of the fair. For the fourth straight year, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis is partnering with Indiana Agriculture sponsors to construct an entire three-bedroom house at the State Fair in 14 days!

Working alongside 27 sponsors and more than 350 volunteers, future homeowner Joseph Olumullah will help build his first home.

“Growing up partially in the streets of Nairobi and rural western Kenya, I often dreamed about owning my own home,” Olumullah said. “It [will be] a milestone in my life and great pleasure indeed to call myself a homeowner! My son Jayden will have his own room and a place to play after school.”

Habitat for Humanity recipient, Joseph Olumullah

Construction of this Habitat home will continue all 14 days of the fair with hundreds of volunteers from local companies and organizations will be rolling up their sleeves to meet the demanding construction schedule. Fairgoers will be able to tour the home and a home dedication will take place on Aug. 16.

Indiana State Fair Executive Director Cindy Hoye

“Each year we’re excited to celebrate the generosity of hardworking Hoosiers through the Habitat Ag Build,” Indiana State Fair Executive Director Cindy Hoye said. “It’s wonderful to see so many people giving their time and talents to others in a way that has real and lasting impact on our community.”

 

GO Ahead & Play at the State Fair

My weekly piano lesson was one of my favorite activities during my elementary school years. There’s nothing like mastering a new song! This year Indiana State Fair visitors will also have the opportunity to play the piano, thanks to Women’s Fund GO Ahead & Play.

GO Ahead & Play is a public art project led by 25 local 6-12^th grade students designed to bring music to public spaces, and make arts accessibly to the community. Local artists have painted and decorated 20 pianos into interactive, playable pieces of art. Each tells a story and invites the public to play.

Indiana State Fair visitors are among those invited to play. The “Back Home Again” themed piano, designed by Sheryl Smith Hays, will be in the Home and Family Arts Building every day of the fair. Stop by and try it out, whether you’re playing a classic favorite or for the first time!

Also, keep an eye out for the other 19 pianos at key locations in the Indianapolis and Carmel area including streets, in parks, on trails, at museums, and at community centers. These pianos are open for any community member to play and enjoy!

Poster by: Hilary Welter

The GLASS BARN - A New Look at Indiana Farms

What do soybeans, bacon, and ice cream all have in common?  They all start on family farms!  Indiana soybean farmers are sharing about their lifestyle and livelihoods in an all-new exhibit building- the Glass Barn!

The innovative building on the fairgrounds’ north side offers air conditioning and fun interactive exhibits that are sure to make it one of the coolest places on the grounds!  So what’s inside?

weGROW – Have your farm questions answered with live chats to Indiana dairy, pork, and soybean farms daily at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m..

uFARM – Grow your own crops and compete with others in this interactive game.

  

pictureU – Step up to the picture-taking station, say “cheese” or “soybeans” and then choose from several farming backgrounds to create your own, fun e-card to commemorate your visit to the Glass Barn.

uEAT - Connect the food you eat to the farmers who grow it through this touchscreen game and grocery store exhibit.

  

Did you know t-shirt fabric can be made out of soy? Check out some of the other uses for the bean and see some of the people who grow them at the Indiana Soybean Alliance booth!

Be among the first to see the new exhibit! Don’t miss the Glass Barn during the 2013 Indiana State Fair, August 2-18! To learn more, visit indianasoybean.com/glassbarn

The Glass Barn is funded by Indiana farmers and their soybean checkoff dollars.

Written by Hannah Brescher of the Indiana Soybean Alliance

Ready, Set, Hunt

It’s Fun at Every Turn this year at the State Fair and here at the fairgrounds the fun is starting a little earlier than the official start day, Aug. 2. Next week the Indiana State Fair and Indy’s i94 will be giving away great prize packages and the only way to get them is through participating in a scavenger hunt, but this is no regular scavenger hunt…this is the first ever State Fair and i94 Twitter Scavenger Hunt.

The contest will begin Tuesday, July 23, and continue the next two days, Wednesday, July 24 and Thursday, July 25. At the beginning of each day  i94 will give one clue in the eight o’clock hour and more clues will follow on Twitter @indystatefair, in order to inch participants closer to finding the Mystery Location. Participants must then head out to that location where they will find a State Fair representative with these fabulous prizes.

Prizes

• The First Person to Find the Mystery Location Each Day: 4 State Fair tickets, 2 midway wristbands and a parking pass
• Participants who are not first to the mystery location will receive a small prize and entry into Grand Prize Drawing
• Grand prize drawing: A meet & greet with  Vertical Horizon for 2 people, 4 State Fair tickets, 2 midway wristbands, 1 parking pass, spending cash and tickets to another surprise attraction in the Indianapolis area.

So tune into Indy’s i94, stalk @indystatefair’s tweets and have some Fun at Every Turn of Indianapolis!

Meet Mariah Huff, Miss Indiana State Fair 2013

A few weeks ago I had the honor of meeting 21-year-old Mariah Huff, Miss Indiana State Fair 2013. I’d heard through mutual friends that she was a great person, and that couldn’t be truer. She’s the perfect individual to represent the Indiana State Fair. Mariah is a 10-year 4-H alumnus, former 4-H Junior Leader and 4-year FFA member. She’s also a member of the National Junior Swine Association and the American Berkshire Association, previously serving as the 2009 Indiana Berkshire Queen.

“I’ve been to the fair for 20 years,” Mariah said. “I’ve never missed a year of the Indiana State Fair. I feel so honored just to be a part of it.”

Mariah stands as the first representative of Jackson County to reign as the Indiana State Fair Queen in the contest’s history. As the 55^th Indiana State Fair Queen, she has visited over 25 county fairs so far attending pageants, workshops, parades and other events. For those who haven’t had the opportunity to meet her, be sure to look for her at county fairs leading up to the State Fair. Here’s her schedule:

Date                County           Event

July 16             Decatur           Swine Show

July 17             Clay                Swine Show and/or Grand Drive

July 19             Putnam            Parade

July 20             Parke              Queen Pageant

July 21             Jackson           Queen Pageant

July 22             Vanderburgh    Queen Pageant

July 23             Jackson           Swine Show, Fashion Revue

July 24             Huntington       Awards Program

July 26             Knox               TBA

July 27             Monroe           Queen Pageant

July 28             Fayette             Parade

July 31             Morgan            Pig Wrestling

      

Mariah’s well-rounded personality does not end with her fair involvement. Outside of the fair, she is the recipient of many scholarships at Purdue University, where she studies Agriculture Education and Agribusiness Management. She’s an executive member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Block & Bridle Club and the Indiana Association of Agriculture Educators.

Her personal interests include showing swine and Boer goats, promoting agriculture, horseback riding, assisting current 4-H members, watching basketball and traveling.

Mariah will be at the State Fair daily as the Official Hostess of the event. On Aug. 18 her successor will be announced in the afternoon after the Indiana State Fair Queen Pageant.

Published by Hilary Welter