IT’S THE FUN SIZE VERSION OF THE INDIANA STATE FAIR.
You’ll find all the essentials—rides, animals, and midway vendors hawking fried delights—just on a vastly smaller scale. For instance, while last year’s Indiana State Fair pulled in north of 840,000 visitors, the Marion County Fair brought in 80,000—a literal order of magnitude fewer people to jostle around and stand in line behind. And speaking of walking, the entire grounds are an easy-on-the-arches 124 acres, compared to the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ 250. “You can cover a lot of territory and not feel like you’ve walked for miles,” says Marion County Fair office manager and Indianapolis City-County Councilor Paul Annee. That is a big boon for young children (and their grandparents).
DESPITE BEING ON THE SOUTH SIDE, IT’S STILL CONVENIENT FROM THE CITY CENTER.
From downtown, it’s a straight shot down Southeastern Avenue to the Five Points area, where you’ll find the fairgrounds perched on the far side of the I-465 beltway. If you’re coming from another part of town, loop around I-465.
ITS HISTORY TECHNICALLY REACHES BACK TO THE EARLY 1800S.
Fall agricultural expositions that called themselves the Marion County Fair (or some version of that name) date all the way back to 1835. But they tended to come and go, and their location changed on multiple occasions. The current version began in 1930 as a street fair held in New Bethel and, later, Wannamaker, before it finally settled into its current location at Troy Avenue and Fisher Road.
IF YOU’RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE INDIANA STATE FAIR, THIS EVENT MAKES A GREAT APPETIZER.
The mid ways at both events are run by the same company, North American Midway Entertainment of Farmland, Indiana. So if the Tilt-A-Whirl you ride at the State Fair seems uncannily like the one you rode a month ago at the Marion County Fair, it isn’t a coincidence. Likewise, the food vendors offer all the weird and wonderful fair treats. Swain’s Concessions serves up pizza on a stick, plus conventional pizzas dressed with such unconventional toppings as pickles—and crickets. Meanwhile, if you fancy the ultimate old-school elephant ears, A&C Concessions has you covered. “They’ve been out here for 50 years,” Annee says.
COWS, PIGS, AND HORSES ARE SCARCE HERE.
According to the 2022 agricultural census, Marion County had only 169 farms, averaging a minuscule 86 acres each, so getting enough critters for the Marion County Fair is something of a challenge. So livestock competitions are open, meaning farmers from outside Marion County can enter. The Animal Oasis offers encounters with goats, pigs, and birds, along with pony rides.
TWIGGY THE WATER-SKIING SQUIRREL RETURNS THIS YEAR.
As her name implies, Twiggy is a squirrel who is pulled around a swimming pool on a pair of water skis while wearing a jaunty red cape. She’s coming back to the Marion County Fair after a half-decade hiatus and will perform every day of its run. “We’re excited to bring Twiggy and her team back to show off for fairgoers again,” Annee says. If animal acts are your thing, you can also catch the Porkchop Revue, featuring a herd of highly trained pigs performing stunts, dancing, and singing. Yes, singing.
ADMISSION IS RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE.
The cost of a ticket to the Indiana State Fair can vary wildly depending on the day you go and the coupons you track down. That said, advance admission tickets cost $13 online, and parking is $8. Marion County Fair admission is $8, plus $5 for parking if you leave your car across the street, and $10 if you opt for premium parking on the fairgrounds. That might not seem like all that much of a difference, but if you’re going with a family, it adds up.
THE ENTERTAINMENT ROSTER WILL FEATURE SCORES OF LOCAL BANDS.
At press time, that lineup wasn’t yet firmed up, but we’re assured it will have something for everyone, from country to rock. And if you have a nagging feeling that you missed your own chance to be a star, it could possibly include you, too. The Marion County Fair’s website offers a performer application, with a hearty invitation to showcase your talent.
THE FAIRGROUNDS HOST OTHER EVENTS DURING THE REST OF THE YEAR.
This October 12, the Scottish Society of Indianapolis offers the Indianapolis Scottish Highland Games & Festival, featuring traditional Scottish sports like caber toss and hammer throw, plus whiskey and bagpipers aplenty. The grounds also include the recently heavily remodeled Circle City Raceway, a quarter-mile track with dirt track races all summer and fall.
