Kids and their llamas dress up for the annual Llama Costume Contest Photo: Greg Bartram
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Ohio State Fair
From the very first fair of three days in 1850
in Cincinnati to the 17-day exposition today, the Ohio State
Fair has celebrated Ohio's products, its people and their
accomplishments.
Although at first primarily an agricultural fair, in
1853, entertainment crept into the Fair with the first pony rides
for children and monkeys dressed up in hats that danced to minstrel
tunes. Today's entertainment appeals to modern tastes, and the Ohio
State Fair has hosted stars from Ricky Nelson in 1957 to Johnny
Carson in 1968 to New Kids on the Block in 1989 to Willie Nelson in
1998. Vince Gill, Johnny Cash, the Oak Ridge Boys, the Osmonds, Bob
Hope, Barbara Mandrell, and Dolly Parton have been repeat
performers.
Each year, the sale boasts some of the highest bids
of any state fair in the nation. In 1996, the Sale of Champions
made Ohio State Fair history with bids totaling $212,000 for eight
livestock exhibits. The Youth Reserve Program was established in
December 1995 to reward junior youth exhibitors that participate at
the Ohio State Fair. The program allots funds for scholarships,
Future Farmers of America (FFA), 4-H and other Fair competition
winners.
One unique aspect of the Fair is the Butter
Sculpture. In the early 1900s, the Ohio State University and the
dairy processors of Ohio sponsored butter sculpting contests at the
Fair. Each year a butter cow, and later a butter calf, are sculpted
and have become a Fair tradition. Each sculpture takes
approximately four weeks to complete, and approximately 1,500
pounds of real butter is used to make the sculpture. Another unique
aspect of the Fair is the focus on llamas: A Llama Drill Team, a
Llama Costume Contest and llama obstacle course (the "Leaping
Llama" contest) for kids and their animals delight Fair
spectators.
Originally submitted by: George V. Voinovich, Senator.
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The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.
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