It’s shaping up to be a hot summer, but there’s one beloved attraction that is keeping it cool at the Ohio State Fair.
More than a ton of butter has arrived at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, and sculpting of the 2023 butter cow, calf and other surprise sculptures began Monday.
The sculptors start by building wooden and steel frames to support the weight of the butter. From 55-pound blocks, they slice the butter into manageable loaves and layer it to cover the frames. After many hours of molding and smoothing the butter in a 46-degree cooler, each sculpture begins to take shape. Fine details are added last.
Each year, the American Dairy Association Mideast, on behalf of Ohio’s dairy farmers, selects a theme to feature in butter that is non-political, non-controversial and reflects optimism and broad audience appeal. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a two-year hiatus of butter cow sculpting, with the 2022 butter display making its in-person debut once more as the biggest display to ever be at the Ohio State Fair.
The butter display is one of the Ohio State Fair’s oldest traditions, attracting more than 500,000 visitors each year. The theme is kept a secret as sculptors work and is unveiled just before the fair gates open, reflecting positive ideals and cultural trends in Ohio for more than 60 years. Several of its exhibits gain national media attention with themes that have universal appeal.
The display is located in the Dairy Products Building at the Ohio Expo Center, home of the Ohio State Fair. The Dairy Products Building is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and offers a variety of Ohio-produced dairy foods including ice cream, milkshakes, cheese sandwiches and milk. The fair will run from July 26 through Aug. 6.
The butter sculpture display and the Dairy Products Building are sponsored by the American Dairy Association Mideast, Ohio’s dairy-farmer funded marketing and promotion program serving more than 1,450 Ohio dairy farms. For more information, visit drink-milk.com.
So the surprise is never spoiled, only the artists and one pool camera are allowed inside the Dairy Products Building during the sculpting process.
