Taste From Indiana Farms Provides Local Flavor at the Indiana State Fair

More than 8,600 people experienced Taste From Indiana Farms at the 2023 Indiana State Fair. Photo credit: Kathleen M. Dutro/Indiana Farm Bureau

If someone were to survey those who attend state and county fairs, they’d find one of the top reasons why people love fairs is the food: funnel cakes, elephant ears, corn dogs, other delectable fried items, cotton candy, pork burgers, ribeye sandwiches, ice cream and so much more.

Food enthusiasts have a special reason to attend the 2024 Indiana State Fair on Aug. 8-11, 2024: Taste From Indiana Farms, an event at which food samples representing commodities grown across the state are served – for free – to fairgoers.

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Sponsored and organized by the Indiana Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, this year’s Taste From Indiana Farms will be presented in the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion. The state fair itself is Aug. 2-18, 2024.

Farm Bureau has sponsored Taste From Indiana Farms for the past 30 years. Last year, more than 8,600 people came to the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion for the free food samples and educational facts relating to each commodity.

See more: Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion is Best in Class

“The focus has always been the same: to offer a taste of a food that is grown or raised in Indiana and provide educational information about family farms and about each commodity that the samples are highlighting,” says Janis Highley, INFB 2nd vice president and chair of the Women’s Leadership Committee.

Samples are provided by individual growers and commodity groups. Offerings change every year, but anything that can be produced in Indiana and served to fairgoers is a possibility.

In the past, fairgoers have sampled watermelon, ice cream, salsa, corn chips, tilapia, blueberries, cantaloupe, roasted soybeans, popcorn, lamb summer sausage, elk, wheat crackers, hardboiled eggs, honey, cucumbers, apple slushies and beef sausage.

While the 10-member Women’s Leadership Committee sponsors and organizes Taste From Indiana Farms, the event relies on a great deal of volunteer help. Highley estimates more than 100 Farm Bureau volunteers will work at the four-day event.

See more: Farm Facts: Indiana State Fair