The Ohio State Fair Competitive Exhibits Internship is a new opportunity in 2025! A hybrid internship shared between the Special Events Department and the Agriculture/Livestock Department, this internship creates a unique opportunity to gain administrative experience, as well as Fair experience across different departments.
What are the Special Events Department and Ag/Livestock Department?
The Special Events Department includes many different areas of the Ohio
State Fair. Those areas include Creative Arts, Fine Arts, Youth Arts, Ohio State
Fair Junior Fair Board, All-Ohio State Fair Band, All-Ohio State Fair Youth
Choir, Customer Service/Guest Information Services, First Aid Center/EMS,
Lausche Youth Exploration Space, and coordination of booking events in other
certain buildings. This department plans and executes a variety of special
events and exhibits related to these areas working with seasonal staff and
contracted staff.
The Ag/Livestock Department is responsible for overseeing all of the
agriculture and livestock related functions at the Fair. This includes the
planning and execution of all livestock shows – junior and open class shows.
They work closely with the Barn Directors, as well as the Entry Department.
This department also oversees the Animal Care Center, Agricultural related
vendors, and other agricultural exhibits such as Little Farmers. This
department handles events or works with contractors for events such as
skillathons, Sale of Champions, and Final Drives for OME and OBE
presentations.
Opportunities
- This is a unique opportunity to gain experience working within multiple
departments at the Ohio State Fair!
- Gain experience and insight in the Fair industry as you work alongside the
Special Events team helping plan and execute events related to all facets of
the department, which include: Youth programming and activities, Creative
Arts, Fine Arts, Youth Arts, Ohio State Fair Junior Fair Board, All-Ohio State
Fair Band, All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir, Customer Service/Guest Information
Services, and more.
- Gain hands-on experience working closely with the ag/livestock staff to plan
exhibits and shows.
• Provide administrative support to related areas above.
- Assist with various special events during the Fair, including nightly concerts in
Celeste Center. Past concerts have included Yung Gravy, KIDZ BOP, Casting
Crowns, Ludacris, Jeff Dunham, Gabriel Iglesias, Ludacris, and more.
- Get hands-on, real-life experience in the Fair industry, including coordinating
schedules, assisting with exhibit set-up and activities, managing, and training
seasonal staff and volunteers, etc.
- School internship credit available (based on your college’s specific
requirements).
Qualifications
- Any college student that is entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year.
- Many majors are appropriate, including hospitality management, public affairs,
government, business, agricultural, or other related majors.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
- Strong organizational skills, high attention to detail and accuracy, strong
written and verbal communication, ability to multi-task and be adaptable.
- Proficient with Google applications and Microsoft Office applications and
Dropbox.
When You’ll Work
- Dates: May – August (based on school schedules).
- Internship cannot exceed 14 weeks.
- Hours
- Monday – Friday during business hours (flexibility with hours).
- Note: you will be required to work on Saturday, July 12 and July 19,
2025, as well as long shifts immediately prior to and during the Ohio
State Fair (July 23 – August 3, 2025). Pre-Fair livestock shows run July
14 – July 22, and you will be required to be on-site.
- Hybrid work schedule – remote (May – July) and in-person (July – August). In
May, June, and early July, more remote time will be available. As we approach
the Ohio State Fair, the frequency of required in-person dates will increase. No
time off or hybrid opportunities are available July 22 through August 5, as in-person work is required at that time.
Application Information and Deadline
APPLY NOW
Application deadline: Friday, January 10 at 11:59 p.m.
Interviews will take place within two weeks of the application deadline.
Questions
Please contact Alissa Belna-Muhlenkamp at a.belnamuhlenkamp@expo.ohio.gov or Andi Hershey and a.hershey@expo.ohio.gov.