Must-Try Indiana State Fair Foods: Taste of the Fair & Classics
Let’s be honest: the food is half the reason we go. The 2026 Indiana State Fair runs August 7 through 23 (closed Mondays), and its Taste of the Fair competition (presented by Pepsi) unveiled nearly 50 brand-new items on July 8. Here’s what to eat, what it costs, and where the real value is.
Hungry yet? Don’t miss your chance to taste it all. Get your Indiana State Fair tickets here.
What Is “Taste of the Fair”?
Each summer, vendors across the fairgrounds enter their most creative dishes into Taste of the Fair, a fan-voted contest built around indulgence and pure fun.
Nearly 50 brand-new foods compete in 2026
Download the Taste of the Fair map (and the separate $5 Value Food map) from indianastatefair.com
Vote for your favorite by scanning the QR codes at participating booths
Winners are chosen by fairgoers and announced during the final week
New for 2026: The Taste of the Fair Lineup
The Indiana State Fair revealed the 2026 field on July 8. A few standouts worth the calories:
Hot Cheeto Fried Oreo (The Cookie Jar), a golden Oreo dipped in Hot Cheeto batter, fried, dusted in Hot Cheeto powder, and drizzled with nacho cheese
Cookie Butter Biscoff Funnel Cake (R&W Concessions), fresh funnel cake with cookie-butter drizzle, vanilla icing, and crumbled Biscoff cookies
Corn Dog Beer (Sun King Brewery)
Junkyard Spam Dog (Urick Concessions)
Bacon Jalapeño HoneyBun Burger (McWaters Concessions)
Bananas Foster Cold Brew Float (Hook’s Drugstore Museum)
Cornbread and ‘Que (Indiana Pork Producers)
Grand Slam Mary and Craft Beer Soft Serve (Urick Concessions)
Iconic Classics You Can’t Skip
Not everything has to be new to be worth it. The reliable Hoosier winners return every year:
Dairy Bar milkshakes from the American Dairy Association of Indiana, $5 each in Blue Raspberry (new for 2026), chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. Grilled cheese is $5 and comes five ways, including the dill pickle “Big Dill” and an Italian Melt
12-ounce bone-in pork chops, pork burgers, and pulled pork barbecue from the Indiana Pork tent, plus $3 coleslaw and $2 applesauce.
Corn dogs and elephant ears from longtime vendors like Red Barn Elephant Ears and R.E. Smith
Eating on a Budget: $2 Tuesdays & the Dairy Bar
Fair food adds up fast, so plan your value plays:
$2 Tuesdays (August 11 and 18): $2 gate admission, $2 Midway rides, and $2 food options at each food stand
The $5 Value Menu runs all fair long, with food and drinks priced at $5 or less across participating stands
The Dairy Bar is the best everyday value, with $5 milkshakes, $5 grilled cheese, $4.50 Hoosier custard, $2.25 yogurt or cottage cheese, and a 10-ounce cup of milk for 50 cents
The Foodie Family 4-Pack ($105) bundles four admissions, parking, and $50 in Fair Bucks food vouchers. Advance only, sold through August 6
Food Events & Contests
Taste from Indiana Farms (August 13 to 16, 11 AM to 6 PM): free samples of Hoosier farm goods at the Fall Creek Pavilion
Draughts and Drafts (August 14, 8 to 10 PM): a 21-plus craft-beer and draft-horse tasting at the Weaver Popcorn Youth Pavilion
King Arthur Baking Company contests on the Indiana Arts Culinary Stage: the youth contest is judged August 8 at noon, the adult contest August 15 at noon
More culinary judging on the same stage: the Greater Midwest Foodways Family Heirloom Recipe Competition (August 12 at 3 PM), Burton’s Maplewood Farm Cooking with Maple Syrup (August 15 at 4 PM), and the Slaw with Homemade Dressing and Red Velvet Cupcake contests (August 22, at noon and 4 PM)
Pro Tips from Seasoned Fairgoers
Go early (before 1 PM) for the shortest food lines
Split dishes so you can taste more
Stay hydrated, especially after salty or fried food
Bring wet wipes. You’ll need them
Save room for dessert. It’s basically the point
More from the Fair
Hungry yet? Get your Indiana State Fair tickets here.
Grab a Bite & Cast Your Vote
Between the Hot Cheeto Fried Oreo, the Corn Dog Beer, and a $5 Dairy Bar shake, the 2026 fair food lineup has something for every kind of eater. Don’t forget to scan a QR code and vote for your favorite Taste of the Fair contender. Tag us in your best bites. Happy eating, Hoosiers.
