COLUMBUS, Ohio (AVC News) — The 2026 Ohio State Fair ended Sunday with record attendance and record spending on rides, games and food.
The fair welcomed 1,025,190 visitors, setting a new all-time attendance record. Attendance was 5.8% higher than last year and 2% above the previous record of 1,006,228 set in 2023.
The fair also set new records for Midway and concession revenue.
Midway revenue from rides and games topped $3.3 million, an 8.4% increase from 2025. Concession sales reached more than $9.2 million, up 12.6% from last year.
The fair featured several new attractions and buildings, including the updated Dairy Products Building, a new Ohio-themed carousel, the Ohio Showcase Building and the Ohio Agriculture Center.
The new imAGine Ag exhibit in the Ohio Agriculture Center attracted nearly 100,000 visitors, while about 26,000 people rode the new Ohio Children’s Carousel.
Other highlights included:
- More than 22,000 livestock and equine entries.
- About 80,000 rides on the SkyGlider.
- Nearly 6,500 youth anglers at Natural Resources Park.
- More than 11,000 visitors used the free park-and-ride program.
- More than 40,000 people visited the Lausche Youth Exploration Space.
- $49,500 in scholarships was awarded to Ohio youth.
- $396,500 was raised through the Sale of Champions, including $267,500 for the Virgil L. Strickler Youth Reserve Program.
Fairgoers also consumed nearly 94,000 lemonades, more than 62,000 orders of fries, nearly 47,000 foods on a stick and more than 36,000 orders of ice cream.
Participants and exhibitors came from all 88 Ohio counties. Ticket sales also included visitors from all 50 states and 23 countries outside the United States.
The 2027 Ohio State Fair is scheduled for July 28 through Aug. 8.
