Marion County Fairgrounds

I came here for the Marion County Fair. I was impressed with how many food vendors there were. It was also nice that they have a petting zoo and plenty of seating spread throughout the fair. Some things that could be better:
— toilets do not work well and two were out of order
— little pavement and lots of gravel and thin grass, which makes for bumpy stroller rides and muddy shoes
— only two rides for toddlers
— venue is not smoke-​free (although they do have signs discouraging smoking near the children’s rides)

This is a small county fair… among the smallest I’ve been to, actually. BUT the staff was really nice and helpful, the layout of the barns and buildings makes sense, and many of the buildings are air conditioned. There are quite a few of the giant misting fans to help you cool off. Plenty of parking on the grass, next to a corn field. You can see the fairgrounds from I-​465 on the southeast side, by 74.
In the Family Arts building there are 2 «peoples’ choice» exhibits: Lego structures and Green. The Green category has items that have been repurposed including a coat made into a purse, and art made from things like old silverware, keys, and a CRT TV. You get to vote on your favorite throughout the fair to decide on the winner.
We were able to watch the draft horse pull and the fireworks on Friday night. I even tried a fair food I’d never heard of: BBQ turkey ribs. They were delicious! All the typical rides are there, and there’s also a reverse bungee for kids, hand-​led pony rides, and helicopter rides. Admission is $ 5 per person, kids under 5 are free.
The highlight of my evening was getting a glow in the dark slap watch for $ 13. Yay! The extra bands were only $ 3 and now I’m regretting not getting bands in several colors.