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Ride a Butter Cow? Ohio Fair's New Carousel Stuns!
27 Jul
Summary
- New Ohio Children's Carousel features 30 hand-carved animals and landmarks.
- Rides include a butter cow, prehistoric fish, and a WWII hero dog.
- Carousel reflects Ohio's history, art, and culture for fairgoers.
The Ohio State Fair, held from July 29 to August 9 at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds in Columbus, now features the innovative Ohio Children's Carousel. This attraction showcases 30 distinct hand-carved figures, a project inspired by Gov. Mike DeWine and his wife, Fran DeWine, who curated the selections to represent Ohio's heritage.
Attendees can ride on a variety of unusual figures, including a butter cow, a nod to a century-old tradition, and the Dunkleosteus, an ancient armored fish that once swam in Ohio's prehistoric seas. Other unique rides feature Ohio's state bird, the cardinal, the American bison, and a North American river otter, all symbolizing the state's natural history.
The carousel also celebrates cultural icons with a pig figure representing Cincinnati's "Porkopolis" history and a Smoky the Yorkshire terrier, a decorated World War II hero dog from Cleveland. Additionally, a "storybook chariot" offers wheelchair accessibility and celebrates children's literature, featuring Dolly Parton's Imagination Library project, a favorite of Fran DeWine's.
