Fair Food: 6 Must-Try Unique Treats at the Indiana State Fair

The Indiana State Fair is back August 7th through the 21st which means one thing: crazy, delicious food. This year, concession vendors are embracing the “Always a Hit” theme by merging fair favorites with ballpark fare. Along the “Taste of the Fair” map, guests can find a Grand Slam bloody mary complete with Indianapolis Indians pennant flag, vegan HomeRun sliders from local favorites Black Leaf Vegan, and a star-spangled “Great American” shake from RES Food and Drink.

Here are our ten must-try treats to get your State Fair adventure started:

• Cornbread and Barbecue: Indiana Pork Producers are bringing their A-Game this fair season with an Indiana cornbread topped with shredded barbecue pork finished with a drizzle of hot honey.

• Banana Foster Cold Brew Float: Truthfully, this is everything good about an affogato combined with the sugary deliciousness of an icecream sundae. Hook’s Pharmacy is a bit of a unique space in its own right, with shelves devoted to the history of pharmacy soda fountains, but this particular blend of past and present hits home surprisingly well.
• Chili Lime Smoked Chicken Leg: Chili and Lime are hitting the fair in a big way, with nashville hot pickles, mexican street corn, and mangos coated in tajin bringing acidic-heat to every corner of the fair. Smokehouse saloon has turned the flavor profile into a rub, slow-roasted it over the coarse of hours, and served it with an avocado ranch to really set things off.
• BBQ Mac and Cheese: Nitro Hog BBQ brings this staple back for another year. Their pulled pork is just the right balance of tender meat and sauce. This year, they’re also offering a S’mork sandwich, which is pulled pork, marshmallow and chocolate on a sugar donut bun, along with a bbq loaded nachos.
• Butter Dipped Ice Cream: Think creamy vanilla with salty, buttery shell. Urick Concessions is pushing their menu to the limits at all of their locations, with an IPA inspired Craft Beer soft serve and a junkyard spam dog (which is loaded down with jalapeños, cheese, potato chips, and coleslaw), not to mention their Bloody Marys, but the butter dipped ice cream is a genuinely unique flavor, finished with a sprinkle of salt, that could be easily finished in one sitting.
• Strawberry Pineapple Twister: Just off of the Midway, Twisted Drinks and Food serves up their fruity drinks refresher-style and with some customizations. This one in particular can be served with sugar or splenda, and optionally can come with sun tea mixed in for a bit of an arnold palmer situation.
• Blue Raspberry Milkshakes: The American Dairy Farmers of Indiana really pulled all the stops out with their new offerings this year. Instant nostalgia, locally sourced dairy, and the right balance of creamy and cold perfect for a hot day at the fair grounds. It’s also worth noting that they’ve added a dill pickle grilled cheese this year which, for pickle fans, is frankly divine.

With nearly 40 food vendors across the Indiana State Fairgrounds, this is just a taste of the 2026 fair offerings. Two Dollar Tuesdays are back again this year, meaning foodies have their work cut out for them. You can plan your day at indianastatefair.com