The 2026 Ohio State Fair in Columbus has implemented enhanced security measures and opened a new Agriculture Center ahead of the event.
The fair, which typically draws around 900,000 visitors, now requires minors to be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or older after 6 p.
m. to prevent teen takeovers and disorderly gatherings.
Additional security cameras have been installed in parking lots to reduce vehicle break-ins. Officials also advise visitors to leave firearms at home or in their vehicles for safety.
Lt. Brice Nihiser of the Ohio State Highway Patrol emphasized the increased presence of troopers at the fairgrounds.
“This is the largest concentration of state troopers that you're going to see in one given area, at any given time,” Nihiser said.
He added that groups causing disruption will be broken up, and minors found unaccompanied after 6 p. m.
will be escorted off the grounds and reconnected with a parent or guardian.
“If it's after 6 p. m.
, and we escort [a minor] off state grounds, we're making sure they're reconnected with a parent or guardian or another adult,” Nihiser said.
“And if it's a crime, then we're investigating that crime.”
Alicia Shoults, deputy director of experience operations for the fair, noted the chaperone policy has been effective over the past three years.
“We're not necessarily looking around for a youth who's unaccompanied at 6 p. m.
,” Shoults said.
“However, if we see an individual who's causing problems and they're not with their adult chaperone, then they are going to be addressed.”
Regarding car break-ins, Shoults urged visitors not to leave valuables in vehicles and highlighted the new surveillance cameras.
She also recommended parking on the fairgrounds or using the free park-and-ride shuttle from Columbus State Community College.
On firearms, Nihiser advised leaving them at home for everyone's safety, though they are not prohibited on the grounds.
Lost-child booths staffed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol are set up at all main entrances.
Parents are encouraged to use wristbands or stickers for their children and create reunification plans using landmarks.
“Parents should take a photo of their child before entering the fair to have an image of what they are wearing that day,” Nihiser said.
New Ohio Agriculture Center Opens
Separately, officials opened the new Ohio Agriculture Center ahead of the fair. The 177,000-square-foot facility replaces older buildings and showcases Ohio’s agricultural industry.
Governor Mike DeWine, First Lady Fran DeWine, and Ohio FFA leaders attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“We love agriculture,” Ohio FFA State President Austin Manning said. “It's the greatest industry in the world.”
DeWine highlighted agriculture's importance to the state economy, noting the abundance of soybeans, corn, and hay across Ohio.
The center features exhibits on drone technology, precision agriculture, farming equipment, animal displays, cooking demonstrations, and the Taste of Ohio Café with locally grown products.
Manning hopes the center inspires young people to explore careers in agriculture.
“Something like this that gets people excited about agriculture, no better place to do it than the state fair,” he said.
Designed for year-round use, the center will host youth programs, livestock and equine events, STEM competitions, and community gatherings beyond fair season.
The 2026 Ohio State Fair runs from July 29 through August 9 at 717 E. 17th Ave.
