Ohio Expo Center
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Pricing & Hours

Gate admission prices

  • Adults (ages 13-59) – $12
  • Youth (ages 6-12) – $10
  • Senior (ages 60+) – $10
  • Children five and under – Free
  • General Parking – Free

Ride Prices

  • $32 Ride-All-Day Wristband, Advance-sale
  • $35 Ride-All-Day Wristband, At the Fair
  • $1 credits — Fairgoers can buy individual ride credits for $1 each. All rides require 3 or more credits.
Where to Buy Ride Tickets and Wristbands
  • Advance-sale wristbands will be available for online purchase pre-fair.
  • At the fair, RFID-enabled wristbands and RFID cards can be purchased at magic money kiosks with cash or credit card.

Parking

General parking is free to fairgoers in the main lots north of the Cardinal Gate. Reserved parking is not available to the general public for purchase.

Fair Hours

  • Monday through Friday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m., except Sunday, Aug. 4, when admission gates close at 6 p.m. Most buildings and activities close at 6 p.m. All Fair activities are concluded by 9 p.m.
Admission gates open daily at 7 a.m. Please note that most food vendors, activities, entertainment, and buildings do not open until 10 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on weekends. Fairgoers must exit the grounds by 11 p.m. each day of the Fair, except for Fridays when the Fair closes at midnight, and Sunday, Aug. 4 when the Fair closes at 9 p.m.

Midway Ride Hours

  • Wednesday, July 24: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Thursday, July 25: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Friday, July 26: 11 a.m. – Midnight
  • Saturday, July 27: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 28: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Monday, July 29: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Tuesday, July 30: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Wednesday, July 31: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. **Sensory-friendly morning
  • Thursday, Aug. 1: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Friday, Aug. 2: 11 a.m. – Midnight
  • Saturday, Aug. 3: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 4: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

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Conditions for Admission

The safety of our fairgoers, exhibitors and employees is our number one priority. In an effort to ensure the highest level of safety and security, please do not bring any illegal weapons or substances to the Fair. Several items are expressly prohibited at the Ohio State Fair, including: the use of bicycles in non-parking areas, the possession or use of Segways/hoverboards, and the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones). You may bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages. Glass bottles and containers are not permitted on grounds.

Buildings and Hours

Administration Building (1909)
8 a.m. – 7 p.m. (closes at 5 p.m. on Aug. 4)
This building houses many of the Ohio Expo Center staff offices.

Ag-Pro Companies Taft Coliseum (1917)
Open all Fair hours

This building is the site of many dog agility (July 26), draft horse shows, mounted shooting, trick riding and other livestock events.

Antiques & Collectibles Pavilion (1888)
10 a.m. – 9 p.m. (closes at 6 p.m. on Aug. 4)
Searching for that perfect vintage item? Look no further; a variety of antique dealers and exhibitors sell jewelry, records, toys, memorabilia and more at the Fair.

Bricker MarketPlace Building (1966)
10 a.m. – 9 p.m. (closes at 6 p.m. on Aug. 4)
Visit commercial and informational booths offering a variety of novelties, jewelry, demonstration items, home remodelers, state agencies, and attractions, as well as the Food Court and an Ohio beer and wine sales location.

Brown Sheep Building (1930)
8 a.m. – 10 p.m. (closes at 6 p.m. on Aug. 4)

This arena is home to all sheep exhibits and shows, including a store with all things wool.

Cardinal Patio
Hours vary
Special demonstrations and exhibits.

Central Park
Open all Fair hours
Relax at the center of the Fair.


Cooper Arena (1965)
8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Swing by this building daily for exciting dairy cattle events and judging.

Cox Fine Arts Center (1909)
10 a.m. – 9 p.m. (closes at 6 p.m. on Aug. 4)
Home to one of the largest state fair fine arts exhibitions. Patrons can also purchase artwork from the All Ohio Art Gift Shop from Ohio artists.

Dairy Products Building (1925)
9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
See the famous butter cow sculpture, which first appeared at the Ohio State Fair in 1903, while you enjoy your favorite dairy products from Ohio-produced ice cream to the celebrated cheese sandwich.

The Dog House
Open all Fair hours
This building hosts a variety of K-9 entertainment, allowing visitors to catch some shade with man’s best friends.


Gazebo Stage
Open all Fair hours
This stage is home to many talented performers, set to provide family-friendly entertainment and music at the heart of the Fair, near Central Park.

Gilligan Livestock Complex (1872 and 1978)
8 a.m. – 10 p.m. (closed Aug. 4)
This complex houses dairy cattle and draft horse exhibits, as well as a functioning milking parlor. An air-conditioned restaurant, Ranahan’s, is attached.

Infant Care and Nursing Stations
The Ohio State Fair offers two air-conditioned family care stations, one located in Kiddieland and the other in the Taste of Ohio Café, at which parents can change their children’s diapers, and mothers who prefer to breastfeed their children in privacy can do so comfortably. Additional nursing stations are located in Kasich Hall and the Bricker MarketPlace Building. Furniture graciously provided by Big Lots.

Kasich Hall (2016)
10 a.m. – 9 p.m. (closes at 6 p.m. on Aug. 4)
The Ohio Expo Center’s newest building opened in July 2016. It now houses the Fair’s Creative Arts and Youth Arts exhibits (Hall B), sporting events (Hall A/C) and various banquets and events (Hall A), as well as the permanent Ohio Agriculture Hall of Fame exhibit.

Land & Living Building presented by Ohio Farm Bureau (1926)
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. (closes at 6 p.m. on Aug. 4)
This building is home to agriculture and horticulture education, including the Land & Living exhibit. This highly interactive exhibit is full of educational activities for the whole family. Visitors will see, experience, and learn about caring for animals on the farm, how science and technology are helping farmers, and how young people can have agricultural careers. Visitors can enjoy planting crops in a tractor simulator, shopping in an interactive grocery store, and recording their Fair memories with a complimentary photograph.


Lausche Youth Exploration Space
10 a.m. - 8 p.m. (closes at 6 p.m. on Aug. 4)
Visit the Youth Exploration Space to find many engaging youth-oriented exhibits and activities including 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, OSU Physics, COSI, Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Department of Higher Education, Tiny Town play area, library reading nook, and much more! This year's theme is space with a focus on aerospace and aeronautics, as well as other STEM related opportunities. Don't miss additional activities on the Lausche lawn.

Main Street Stage
Show schedules available at ohiostatefair.com/events
Catch a little bit of everything at the Main Street Stage, from free live music performances to amazing hypnosis shows.

Natural Resources Park (1956)
10 a.m. – 7 p.m. (times of activities vary)
Enjoy free fishing for kids, kayaking, archery, a butterfly house, and so much more in this beautiful 8-acre park maintained by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Enjoy native Ohio wildlife, a geological walkway, a new nature center, and a tall grass prairie. The outdoor amphitheater hosts free music and entertaining programs, such as the popular lumberjack show, throughout each day of the State Fair.

O’Neill Swine Building (1973)
8 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Check out swine exhibits, the “buckeye big boar” - Ohio’s largest pig, and the Pork Shoppe.

Quiet Room
The air-conditioned Quiet Room is located in the Taste of Ohio Café. With a small adjacent restroom, sensory items, and comfortable seating, it provides a space for quick sensory relief. Volunteer assistance during the Fair is kindly provided by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI). Furniture graciously provided by Big Lots.

Rabbit and Poultry Pavilion (1905)
8 a.m. – 10 p.m. (closes at 6 p.m. on Aug. 4)

Roosters crow to wake the grounds at this pavilion, home to rabbit, chicken, turkey, and duck exhibits.

Rhodes Center (1956)
Open during scheduled events only
This expansive facility is the home to the All-Ohio State Fair Band and the All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir and rehearsals. The Rhodes Center also hosts the annual 50 Year Club meeting. The 50 Year Club Meeting will be held on Monday, July 31 at 9 a.m.

Shoppes at North Commercial (1905)
10 a.m. – 9 p.m. (closes at 6 p.m. on Aug. 4)

Visit the open-air pavilions and walk through antique tractors and machinery to see how farming has evolved over the years.
Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center
8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
This building houses beef cattle, the Cattlewomen's Shop, and the Ohio Cattleman's putt putt mini golf course.
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