(Statehouse) – State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) served as chair of the 2024 State Fair Advisory Committee at the Indiana Statehouse Wednesday, October 23.
Chief Development & Strategy Officer Ray Allison and Executive Director Cindy Hoye of the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center reviewed the successes of the 2024 Indiana State Fair at the meeting and discussed planning efforts for future state fairs.
Some highlights of the discussion include total attendance reaching 854,236 people at the 2024 Indiana State Fair, which was above average. The fair also brought in about $400,000 more than estimated, much of which resulted from an increase in sponsorship and food revenues.
“I was happy to hear that this year’s fair was such a success, and I look forward to seeing it improve even more next year,” Leising said. “The Indiana State Fair continually proves itself to be among the best in the nation, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
The 2025 and 2026 Indiana State Fair dates were also announced to be Aug. 1-17 and Aug. 7-23 respectively, and the fair will remain closed on Mondays.
The board also discussed challenges that will need to be addressed, including parking. Officials said they hope to establish a park-and-ride location available for next year’s fair. Several structural improvements were also made this year, including adding a permanent basketball court. Those involved with planning the State Fair aim to continue improving guest services and experiences over the next year.
(State Senator Jean Leising press release)
