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Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
'It's in my DNA:' Indiana State Fair memories so strong you can smell the funnel cake
Families, friends, horses, hogs and more will swarm the 168th annual Indiana State Fair from August 1 to 17. This year's theme, 'The Soundtrack of Summer,' inspired the IndyStar to find fair memories with music at their core, and Hoosiers delivered. From marching band competitions and belting along to "Happy Birthday" or soaking in the sounds of the fairgrounds, these are some of the memories on replay: Douglas Fletcher, 65, still remembers the moment he saw his band ranked first going into the final round of Band Day. It was 1989, and Monroe Central High School had barely cracked the top 10 the year before. Fletcher told his students the good news. "They turned it on even more," he said. "And, lo and behold, we won." That victory sparked quite the legacy — the first of 13 titles under Fletcher's leadership and a core memory for students like Adrian Moulton, then a trombonist, now the school's superintendent. Although decades have passed, Moulton, who graduated in 1991, met his wife in that band. Their son, who graduated in 2019, found a passion for marching band too. Every year, the family tries to visit the fair on Band Day. Fletcher, now the contest coordinator, first marched in Band Day as a high school trombonist from 1973 to 1976. He spent the next three decades directing bands across Indiana, earning more Band Day titles than any other director. "I just want to give back to the contest that had given me so much,' Fletcher said. Before Bridget Robinson ever stepped foot on the Indiana State Fairgrounds, she was a kid at the Jackson County Fair with her sister Beverly, entering 4-H baking and crafting competitions, and soaking up the sights. But in 1989, when Beverly was a ninth grader, the Robinson sisters got a glimpse of something bigger: The Indiana State Fair, complete with front-row seats to see boy band New Kids on the Block at the Indiana State Fair. That night, Bridget had a thought that stuck with her. "When I got to those front-row seats at the Indiana State Fair, I thought, 'Man, how incredible would it be to work here one day?'" Bridget forward nine years and by 1997, when Robinson was 22, she had a summer internship at the fair, promoting acts on the Main Street Stage at Indiana's county fairs, including the one in Jackson County that she and her sister had once walked to as kids. Then one day during her internship a storm arose. Late in the afternoon, the skies turned dark. Robinson, who was watching a performance on the Main Street Stage, approached the band and told them to wrap up. Later, the fair's late executive director, Bill Stinson, praised her quick thinking. You handled that very professionally, he told her. You did exactly what you needed to do. Bridget called the days she spent at the fair as an intern the best days of her life. Now planning conventions for a nonprofit in Indianapolis, she credits the fair for teaching her what she needed to know. "It was more than just an internship, it played a pivotal role in my overall career," she said. "It's in my DNA." In 1977, a man in a clown costume and a trumpet stepped onto the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Nearly 50 years later, he's still there - and so is the band he started. Steve Sutherlin founded the Circle City Sidewalk Stompers Clown Band with one goal: make music fun. Today, the 24 members blend slapstick, swing and Bruno Mars while sporting polka dots and stripes. "The costume gives you permission to be somebody else," said Bryan Sutherlin, trumpet player and Steve's son. Stompers are teachers, police officers, and other professionals, but at the fair, they're entertainers. Bryan remembers one trombonist, a police officer by day who "came out of his shell" when in clown gear. Steve and the band have played at the fair 44 out of the last 48 years, performing everything from Ozzy Osbourne to the Muppets. They've waved and danced with many in the crowd over the years, including Boomer, the Pacers mascot. "We did everything from the Chicken Dance to the Wobble to dancing to Sweet Caroline," Bryan laughed. "Boomer was a good dancer, too." The Sidewalk Stompers have played nearly everywhere in Indiana, but the fairgrounds remain a "special place," Steve said. "We take our music seriously," Bryan said, "but we also want to be goofy, be loose, be a bit of a clown band." The Orme's Nitro Hog BBQ is more than an award-winning food stand. It's a dream realized that was decades in the making. As a young girl, Jessica visited the fairgrounds with her best friend and dad, watching the vendors around her, thinking, "I want to do that one day." She didn't know then she'd marry into a family with deep roots in fair concessions, of all things. Her husband's aunt and uncle have run a food stand at the fair since the 1960s. Now, their son, Orme's cousin-in-law, sets up a deep-fried treats stand just a few feet away. It's a full family affair, and Jessica plays a leading role: helping run Nitro Hog BBQ from prep to service to close. "There's a little pressure to carry that on," she said. "But it's also a privilege." The work is nonstop — long days, hot grills, big crowds — but Jessica said it's all worth it. Nitro Hog's barbeque won first place at the Taste of the Fair competition last year and their "Machos" are an entry this year. Still, after five days of setup and prep, the fair doesn't officially begin for Jessica each year until a familiar face shows up. "On opening day every year, my sister will bring me balloons," she said. "That's when it really clicks that the fair has started." Some may have thought they heard The Beatles' Paul McCartney on the Hoosier stage last year, but it was Tony Kishman, who bears a striking resemblance to the British musician. Kishman, creator of Live & Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney, has spent nearly 47 years in McCartney's shoes. "I think I've been Paul longer than Paul has been Paul," he laughed. Last year, he appeared at the fair for the first time to mark the 60th anniversary of the Beatles' performing two sold-out shows at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Despite the summer heat, Kishman said the energy never dipped. The band delivered hit after hit from "Hey Jude" and "Lady Madonna" to "Band on the Run." The Hoosier crowd left a lasting impression on Kishman. He's played in casinos, amphitheaters, and over venues across the state, "but the fair crowd, they really get into the music." When she's not at work , carving the next Da Vinci masterpiece, Sarah Kaufmann emerges from her cheese castle at the fair with a very specific currency: cheddar. For nearly two decades, the Wisconsin native has been sculpting 640-pound cheddar blocks at the Indiana State Fair, transforming them into cows, jukeboxes, race cars, and children's cheesy smiles. The sculptures are whimsical and undeniably hers, and she makes use of every crumb. The trimmings that fall away while sculpting are her bartering tool. As she roams the fairgrounds, she carries a bag of cheddar odds and ends, ready to strike a deal. Leftover cheese for pork chops on a stick? An easy, under-the-table trade. A bag in exchange for tenderloin tips and mushrooms? Now that's a steal. 'That was my biggest score,' Kaufmann laughed. 'Those tenderloin tips are expensive.' It wasn't your typical backyard gig, but for Kurt Streblow, who has made a name for himself DJing around Indy often at private parties, it might as well have been. Before ever stepping behind a DJ booth, he was just a kid from Indy at the fair, riding the Ferris wheel and soaking up summer. He never imagined he would one day attend the fair as a headliner. Then in 2023, he got the offer to spin a throwback set on the fair's free stage 'This is home,' he said. 'We've always gone to the fair." His crowd was made up of familiar faces. People from actual backyards where he's DJed. Friends from the Pacers, where he works as an in-house emcee. His fiancée, his stepson. Now, every time he returns to the fairgrounds, he catches himself glancing at the stage, still a little amazed. 'A lot of national acts come across that stage, so I didn't think it was even something I could do,' he said. 'For them to incorporate a local, well, it was awesome.' It wasn't your typical post-performance gift of flowers. After stepping off the Hoosier Lottery Free Stage in 2023, Samantha Fish received something that would not wilt in the August sun: a bouquet of corn dogs. Her dad and her fiancée decided it was a good way to welcome Fish to the fair. 'They just showed up with it like it was the most natural thing in the world,' she laughed, adding that was the best corn-dog she ever ate. Fish has performed on stages all over, but the fair marked her first time not in front of rock club regulars. After the last guitar note faded on the outdoor stage, the band didn't scurry to pack up. Time stopped, and they became little kids again, strapping in to the loop-de-loops of the carnival rides. "It's not every day you play a show, and then go ride the whirly-things," she said. "You got to have a little fun with it." Especially when the encore is deep-fried and served on a stick. When Ron Dante, lead vocalist of The Turtles, was slated to perform at the Indiana State Fair one year on August 22nd, he didn't think much of the date, although it happens to be his birthday. Mid-show, Dante was caught off-guard when, one by one, fellow artists joined in, then the crowd followed. All together, they launched into the most harmonized rendition of 'Happy Birthday' he'd ever heard. He said he doesn't remember how old he turned that year, but that the "music keeps us young." 'It was magical,' Dante said. 'Usually you hear a birthday song at a restaurant and everyone's off-key. But this was perfect. It was one-ness with the crowd.' The cherry on top: a towering basket of top-shelf spirits awaited him on the side of the stage, a gift from a fan he knew through Facebook. But the real gift, Dante said, was the moment itself. 'It's emblazoned in my memory,' he said. 'You don't forget something like that." Since she was around five years old, Eden Hogsett, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett's daughter, has been a fan of Starbucks. The pony, that is. Hogsett and his daughter, Eden, have made it a tradition to spend opening day together. Ten years ago, she rode Starbucks for the first time there. Every time the two go back, they stop by the Coliseum to say hello to Starbucks. "From age five to 20, my daughter and I block out a day, and it's just me and her," Hogsett said. "Every year, we pray that Starbucks is still there." Hogsett said that each year, they spend more time at the fair. He said one year, they were exploring the fairgrounds for 10 hours. "Even though we're both much older now, we still enjoy just quality time together," he said. "With few exceptions, no one else is invited, it's me and her." Still, he fears time may be running out on their long-standing tradition as Eden is entering her junior year of college. "That is not a day I look forward to, because it makes my whole summer," he said. "When she was about nine or 10, she said, 'Dad, we do the same things every year.' And, I looked at her and said, 'That's what makes it ours.'"
Chicago Tribune
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Live animals attract fans to Kane County Fair, organizers say
Jenna Fiorito of Batavia looks forward to the middle of July each year because she gets to visit a venue she's been coming to 'since I was a little girl.' 'I've lived here since I was three years old and I'm familiar with this event – coming here every year and seeing the animals. I'll be here tomorrow as well,' Fiorito said as she passed rows of stalls filled with cows this Thursday afternoon in St. Charles. 'I like coming here to see what's going on in Kane County and have fun. I think this event is very clean and very well organized.' Beginning Wednesday, July 16, the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles welcomed thousands to the 156th annual Kane County Fair – billed as 'one of the oldest and long-standing fairs in the country.' With an eclectic mix of entertainment that runs the gambit from a petting zoo, classic car show, nightly music shows, and carnival rides, the annual fair always reintroduces guests to its share of animal attraction including pig races, bull riders, and even barrel races, which were added this year. President of the Board of Directors for the fair Larry Breon of Batavia said he believes the continued appeal of the fair is definitely tied to the animal attractions that are offered. 'There are carnivals every year around our area all the time so that's nothing special, but what makes ours unusual is that we have livestock. Back in the day, not too many years ago, our area was agriculturally-based,' Breon said. 'People see livestock which they don't see anymore, which makes our event different. We have a 4-H program in our county and we give them a chance to show off their work and projects to the public.' Breon added that guests who come to the fair 'can see everything from a cow being milked through a window to goats and beef cattle and pigs.' 'I really think the animals are the attraction from the racing pigs, but we also have magic shows and bull riding and a demo derby and there are lots of activities going on every day – there's different things for different people,' he said. Breon notes the outdoor venue can draw 60,000 people over the five days, weather permitting. 'I'd say we get about 15 percent new people that come out each year,' he said. 'A lot of people for many years didn't realize the fairground was redeveloped and redesigned. I used to say for many years we have two seasons – we had dust and we had mud, and now we don't have either. It's a very nice venue.' Lightning, followed by an hour's downpour of rain, pushed back Wednesday's opening for more than an hour, officials said Thursday, although carnival rides and food vendors later reopened. On Thursday, cloudy skies remained but the fair pressed on and featured professional championship women barrel racing at 7:30 p.m. as well as a magic show, petting zoo, an animal race featuring 'swifty swine racing pigs' and music at the sound stage. Tony Siracusa of Peotone was working an arcade booth that offered the chance to shoot at targets and said he has been at the fair 'for over 10 years' adding that the event 'has grown exponentially.' 'Definitely – from when I first started. We have good years and bad years like everything else in business but hopefully this will be another good year,' Siracusa said. 'Coming out to something that has this much history – it pays off. We do have a lot of spots [other carnivals] that we play, but with all the time it takes to get things set up here – it's heartwarming to be a part of it.' While carnival rides weren't drawing a lot of attention within the first hour of opening Thursday afternoon – animal exhibits certainly were. Missy Johnson of Sycamore said she brings beef cattle every year and 'has been coming here since 1992.' 'For me, I grew up doing 4H and this was always a big part of our lives and all our friends were here and we all had common interests,' she said. 'This was where we came to be with all our friends and now my kids do it.' Mary Beth Casty of Winnetka and her cousin Judy Bond of Northbrook said this was their first time visiting the event and both professed to be animal lovers. 'I love animals – the attraction is they're sometimes more human than humans – many are consistent and I just like them because – they have a heart,' Casty said. 'This is our first time and we heard about it on the radio and were out in Geneva at a shop and decided to come over and check it out,' Bond added. 'The big reason we came was to see the animals – we saw pigs and cows and rabbits. I'm not a farm girl, but I enjoy the animals.'
Indianapolis Star
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Deep-fried deals and discounts you don't want to miss at the state fair
The Indiana State Fair returns Aug. 1 to 17 with 15 days full of food and fun. Whether you're looking to sample deep-fried favorites, explore the 4-H exhibits, or ride the rides, there are deals to help you do it on a budget. Get ahead of the crowds, and costs, by purchasing tickets in advance. Admission and parking are 20% off through July 31, and midway wristbands are available at a 38% discount for select days. Mark your calendar because each day of the fair features its own specials from $2 food items to free entry for military families. Other perks include $1 off admission for those who bike to the fair, plus free secure bike parking. The fairgrounds will be closed on Mondays during the fair. The hours for all remaining days of the week are as follows:
Chicago Tribune
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Women's barrel racing a new addition to this year's Kane County Fair
Cowgirls are taking center stage this week at the 156th Kane County Fair as a professional women's barrel racing competition joins favorites like bull riding and the demolition derby at the fairground's grandstand. '(Barrel racing) is very popular around the country. I think people will be pleased by it,' fair board Chair Larry Breon said. The new competition, which requires riders on horseback to race around barrels in a clover leaf pattern, is expected to be one of the highlights of the annual fair, which also features the usual fare of carnival rides and games, 4-H exhibits, pig racing, live music and plenty of food over the course of its Wednesday-through-Sunday run at the St. Charles fairgrounds. Always a big draw when the weather cooperates, the fair brought in between 50,000 and 60,000 people attend last year, Breon said. 'If we have good weather, we have good attendance,' he said. 'I hope we have good weather,' Breon said. The female barrel racing is proving to be a big draw for professional racers who are coming from around the country to participate, he said. The event takes place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. There also will be other grandstand shows, like a series of professional championship bull rider and cowgirl events Friday and Saturday night and Saturday afternoon. Tickets for bull riding and barrel racing can be purchased at 'Bull riding is very popular,' Breon said. 'Everything is first class.' Always a big draw is the demolition derby, which starts at 2 p.m. Sunday and costs $10 to attend. Another fan favorite is pig racing, he said. 'Everyone loves them so we keep bringing them back,' he said. But if you want to see the heart of the fair, don't miss the 4-H exhibitions, Breon said. 4-H members get to not only display their skills and livestock but also teach others about agriculture, he said. It's sometimes surprising for children when they connect the dots between the food they consume and where it comes from, he said. 'Kids don't realize milk comes from a cow because they think it comes from Jewel. You can come here and see a cow being milked,' he said. Breon, who's been coming to the fair for 70 years, joined 4-H when he was 10 years old. His family owned a farm outside of Batavia, and he showed cattle when he was young, he said. That first ribbon you win is unforgettable, he said. 'You felt pretty good about it,' Breon said. As he got older, he won state and national championships and ultimately became part of the National Beef Association and a member of the Illinois State Fair board. He was a farmer until retiring last year. Live music is always an important aspect of the fair, and this year there will be a variety of genres performing on the Miller Lite Sound Stage. Eric Chesser, a Nashville-based country musician, kicks things off with a 7 p.m. show Thursday. On Friday night, Trippin' Billies, a Dave Matthews tribute band, will take the stage at 7:30. Saturday, Mark Atkins performs at 5 p.m. and the Hillbilly Rockstarz go on at 8:30 p.m. The latter is known for mashing up pop, rock and dance songs. The How Rude Band closes out the fair with a show at 6 p.m. Sunday. They play '90s hits, including pop and grunge. Fantasy Amusements returns with its thrill rides like the OMG 360, which swings riders in 360 degrees while revolving, and Pharaoh's Fury. The midway also will have family-friendly rides, games, and, of course, funnel cakes and other fair foods. Fair hours are 3 to 11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Admission prices are $5 on Wednesday and Thursday and $5 for children and $10 for adults Friday through Sunday. There's no cost for children under 3. Free admission is available for seniors 62 and older and miltary with ID until 5 p.m. Thursday. A ticket to be used all five days costs $25. (Credit card purchases add 4% to the price.) Wristbands are available for unlimited carnival rides, and range in price from $27 to $32 depending on the day. The fairgrounds is located at 525 S. Randall Road in St. Charles. For more information, go to
Los Angeles Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Feeling blue? ‘Find Your Happy' at the 135th annual Orange County Fair
If you find yourself with a case of the summertime blues, there's perhaps no better place to 'Find Your Happy' than this year's Orange County Fair, which returns to the Costa Mesa fairgrounds on Friday. Organizers of this year's 135th annual celebration have been busy planning the start of the big show, prepping staging areas on the 150-acre site for the more than 1 million visitors anticipated to walk through the gates each Wednesday through Sunday before the fair closes on Aug. 17. 'There are trucks parked everywhere, and they're unloading the rides. Concessionaires are rolling trailers in and putting up all the big signs,' OC Fair & Event Center spokeswoman Terry Moore said in a catch-up session Thursday. 'At Centennial Farm, everything's getting spruced up and looking good. I'm seeing 4-H folks and FFA kids start to get their stuff set up. Kids raise these animals and it's an enormous amount of work and there's a lot of expense but you learn a ton. And it's one of those things you'll find only at the county fair.' Attendance at this year's event will be capped at roughly 50,000 visitors per day, but those who pay for entry to a concert at the Pacific Amphitheater or other ticketed event will be able to access the fair for the entire day, even on days already deemed 'sold out.' Last year, officials reported more than 1.13 million guests visited the fairground, up more than 81,000 people compared to 2023, with 12 of the fair's 23 days exceeding the cap and nine days selling out. More than 130,000 fairgoers attended concerts at the amphitheater, while 32,000 guests enjoyed performances at the Hangar and some 30,000 audience members partook in high-octane events at the Action Sports Arena, OCFEC estimates. Area residents stunned in the competition and display categories — from table settings and personal collections to handicrafts and culinary entries — bringing in 16,259 submissions and netting a collective $38,275 in prize money. This year, eager to stay on top of the latest foodie trends, concession stand operators are offering some new and unique treats, such as nopales tacos, Dubai chocolate brownies at Mom's Bakeshoppe, tres leches cinnamon rolls at Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls and deep-fried apple pie a la mode at Tom's Puffs & Pie. Moore said even employees at the fairgrounds are looking forward to the coming attractions, along with the return of culinary novelties that hit the mark last year. 'A surprising one for me was the bacon cotton candy on a smoked pork belly stick,' she said of a creation concocted at the stand Bacon Nation. 'They have bacon-flavored cotton candy on top of this pork belly stick, then put bacon chunks into it — it's a sweet and savory treat.' Fairgoers looking for a little bit of everything can once more enjoy a special Taste of the Fair every day until 4 p.m., where smaller samples are available at certain vendors for just $5. Ridesharing and public transit are encouraged, and parking costs $15 daily. General admission is $13 for adults on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and $15 Fridays through Sundays. Tickets cost $9 for those over 60 and children aged 6 to 12, while kids 5 and under are free. Fair hours are from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and from 11 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays at the Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. For more, visit
