Savor the State Fair experience

At A Glance

The 2025 Indiana State Fair, 1202 E. 38th St., Indianapolis, will take place Aug. 1-17; closed Mondays. For more information, visit www.indianastatefair.com.

INDIANAPOLIS — As the Indiana State Fair approaches, Jeanette Merritt is preparing for two of her favorite weeks of the year.

Merritt has served on the State Fair board of directors for eight years and is director of communications at Indiana Pork.

She shared her insight about the fair, and how Indiana Pork is involved, with AgriNews.

Q: What are some of the ways farmers will be represented throughout the fairgrounds this year?

A: I think agriculture is everywhere on the fairgrounds. The mission of the Indiana State Fair is to showcase agriculture and youth.

Each day we will celebrate a different farm family through the Featured Farmer program. These families represent a vast array of agriculture.

People can visit any of the livestock barns and see 4-H in the spotlight and talk to farm families about their animals.

A trip through the Pioneer Village will showcase agriculture as we did it years ago. And then guests can walk through big machinery at the Glass Barn to see how agriculture looks today.

Q: The pork tent is always a favorite food stop. Can fairgoers expect any new menu items or returning fan favorites this year?

A: This year our two pork tents, located near the Fall Creek Pavilion and West Pavilion, are featuring the Hog and Slaw as our Taste of the Fair food.

It’s our most popular pulled pork sandwich with a scoop of coleslaw on top. It’s delicious.

Our popular pork burger sandwich and boneless pork loin sandwich are always big hits.

Q: How does Indiana Pork use the State Fair as an opportunity to educate the public about modern pork production and the farmers behind it?

A: State Fair is a great time to engage with nearly 900,000 visits about pig farming. Our tents have information on the tables about our modern farming practices. We hang banners in the tents with information.

And we have a great display in the Fall Creek Pavilion that guests can tour. That exhibit showcases modern pig barns and the farm families who work in them.

Q: What do you hope visitors walk away with after they leave the state fair?

A: I hope people walk away with great memories. I obviously want their bellies to be full and that they learned something about ag while they were at the fair.

But I hope they walk away having had an incredible day with their family and friends and they made memories they won’t forget.

I have been part of the State Fair for many decades and some of my best memories are from my time at the Indiana State Fair.

Q: What are your top three must-try fair foods?

A: I have to pick items from the Indiana Pork tents. The Pork Burger is my all-time favorite sandwich. I also love our boneless loin sandwich. I usually get it without the bun as a lighter meal option.

But when I want a bigger meal I’m eating our Loaded Pit-Tatoes. It’s our delicious roasted Pit-Tatoes with pulled pork, sour cream, cheese and jalapeños.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t add that I love my Indiana Beef and Indiana Dairy farmer friends and I do enjoy a ribeye and a milkshake a few times during the fair.

Q: Any advice to make the most of a day at the State Fair?

A: Come with a little patience and just go with the flow. Find a great seat for the afternoon tractor parade. Visit the 4-H building and look at the kids’ hard work.

If you need to cool off, grab a Pork Burger and head into the Coliseum to watch some livestock shows, even if you don’t know anything about that species. It’s a great way to learn.