Indiana State Fair Begins August 3

The Indiana State Fair will celebrate the state's circus heritage this year, featuring Big Top Circus with motorcycle riders, juggling, and ringmasters.

The circus will be headlined by Bello Knock, a comic daredevil who was featured on America's Got Talent.

The circus will offer three shows per day, and is free of charge with state fair admission.

Indiana State Fairgrounds communications manager Sharon Smith says the circus theme was chosen because of the rich circus heritage in Indiana.

“And we had a very robust railroad system at the time that a lot of these circuses were highly active," Smith says. "They would seek out communities in Indiana to spend the winters during their off-season, and then they’d go back on the road in the spring and summer."

Along with a variety of entertainment, there will be exhibits in the Ball State Harvest Pavilion celebrating circus history. These exhibits feature curated items such as a circus bandwagon and a Cinderella coach used in circuses in the past, plus pieces from the Children's Museum, the Indiana State Museum and other historic sites.

Deep-fried sugar cream pie

The State Fair will also have a variety of new food and beverage options to accompany some of the traditional fair food such as sweet corn and corn dogs. A few of the new options include deep-fried sugar cream pie, an inside out grilled cheese sandwich, a deep-fried chicken and waffle sandwich and a peach-cider slush.

Smith says fairgoers can expect a variety of food and drink options with more than 130 food stands.

“There was a very intentional effort to bring in some new items that would complement what we already offer," Smith says.

The Indiana State Fair will run from Aug. 3 through Aug.19.