COLUMBUS, Ohio  —  When fair-goers arrive at the 2026 Ohio State Fair in late July two new buildings and an assortment of smaller additions will catch their eyes immediately.

The Ohio Agriculture Center and the Ohio Showcase Building are both slated to be completed just prior to the opening of the fair.

 “The fairgrounds property’s significant construction projects that began in 2023 are concluding just in time for the 2026 Ohio State Fair,” said Alicia Shoults, deputy director of operations and experience at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair.

 According to Shoults, the projects were part of the $460 million Expo 2050 Master Plan renovation, guided by the Expo 2050 Task Force that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine formed in 2019 with a goal of modernizing the fairgrounds while maintaining its roots in agriculture. 

“The Task Force led to the development of a Master Plan, which included projects we were completing ahead of the 2026 Ohio State Fair,” Shoults said.

The larger Ohio Agricultural Center is a multipurpose facility and has the potential to hold a wide variety of events, including livestock shows, equine shows, high school and STEM/robotics competitions and community programs, graduations, concerts and sporting events. It will house the Taste of Ohio Café and provide educational experiences for attendees. It will also house the Little Farmers Exhibit, an interactive educational experience showcasing Ohio’s agricultural sectors and food production.

 “Agriculture exhibits that you’ve maybe seen here and there in different areas, including our animal care center with baby animals, can all be under one roof to create that holistic experience from farm to fork,” Shoults said. “It’s definitely going to be a game-changer here. The projects you see are really going to change the landscape for us here in central Ohio.”

The Ohio Agricultural Center features 177,491-square-feet with built-in kitchens, dining areas, 10 breakout meeting rooms with a seating capacity from 66 to 155 depending on the style (Theatre, banquet, classroom) and more than 100,000 square feet of clear-span exhibition space. 

 For small events, the Ohio Showcase Building features a food hall space and three private event spaces, one of which is complete with an exterior balcony overlooking the new Town Square. In addition to the rentable event spaces, the building also includes a permanent exhibition telling Ohio’s story in conjunction with the Ohio History Connection.

 “We’ve had things the same way for so long, and we want it in a way that not only benefits the fair but can also function for the other 350 days of the year when we have events here at the facility,” Shoults said.

“Fairgoers will notice we’ve renovated four other buildings, the Bricker Building, Dairy Building, North Commercial Pavilion and Solar Home, which is now the First Aid Building,” Shoults said.

 Underground infrastructure work including electrical, water, sewer, stormwater, fiber and Wi-Fi are ongoing. Also being worked on is a new permanent iconic Ohio-themed carousel to anchor the “historic district,” an area surrounded by late 1800s and early 1900s buildings at the fairgrounds. Finally, an abandoned armory is being converted into a parking facility.

 The Ohio Expo Center and site of the Ohio State Fairgrounds rests on just 360 acres. It has been home to this fair since 1886.

 The Ohio State Fair runs from July 29 through Aug. 9.