INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Attendance at the 2026 Indiana State Fair dropped to its lowest level in a decade as severe weather forced officials to close gates and order sheltering five times during the 15-day run.
Fair officials announced Tuesday in a news release that 800,461 people visited this year. The fair ran 15 days from Aug. 7 to 23, with the facility shut down on Mondays.
Based on past attendance data, the 2026 fair saw a decrease of more than 6% compared to the 2025 attendance of 854,977. This year’s total also marked the lowest attendance since 2016, when 731,543 people attended a 17-day fair. The fair changed to the 15-day format in 2024. The fair’s largest attendance was in 2013, with 978,296 attending over 17 days…