Guest Services

Prohibited Activities

Roving solicitations, vending, and selling are not permitted except by those who have contracted for a booth or space, and they may do so only within their contracted space or within four feet of it.

Guests may not stand or congregate in any manner that impedes traffic flow or compromises guest safety, regardless of whether they do so for any expressive purpose or social gathering or any other reason. Thus, guests who stand in one place for an extended period of time, or groups of individuals that compromise guest safety or traffic flow, will be directed to relocate or keep moving. If those guests include unaccompanied minors after 6 p.m., they may be asked to rejoin accompanying adults or to leave the fairgrounds. Failure to comply with any instructions may result in immediate ejection from the fairgrounds.

Conditions for Admission

The safety of our fairgoers, exhibitors and employees is our top priority. Prior to entry, you will be asked to walk through a metal detector (magnetometer). All patrons, vendors, concessionaires, and exhibitors must wear shirts and shoes while on the property.

Bags
Purses, backpacks, book bags, coolers, strollers, etc. are permitted, but are subject to search. Bag searches may also be conducted for guests entering concerts and events in the WCOL Celeste Center.

Prohibited items
Several items are expressly prohibited at the Ohio State Fair, including: illegal weapons and substances; the use of bicycles in non-parking areas, the possession or use of Segways/hoverboards, skateboards, roller blades, roller skates, mopeds, motorcycles, and other two-wheel vehicles; the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones); pets (other than service animals or animals used as a part of a competition); laser pointers; selfie sticks; glass bottles and containers; and any form of apparel including face masks meant to conceal the wearer’s identity (permitted for religious and health reasons).

Outside food and beverage
You may bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages. Glass bottles and containers are not permitted on grounds.

Guest Services and Questions

Accessibility

The Ohio State Fair is committed to inclusion and accessibility. Read more about our services in our online Accessibility Guide, or contact us at info@expo.ohio.gov or 614-644-3247 if you have any questions regarding your visit.

Banking Services

ATMs will be offered on-site.

Camping (Fair Only)

Find out more at on our camping page.

First Aid / EMS Center

9 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Medical assistance is provided in this air-conditioned medical center located just inside the Cardinal Gate, north of Kasich Hall.

Infant Care & Nursing Stations

The Ohio State Fair offers one large, air-conditioned Infant Care & Nursing Station in the Lausche Youth Exploration Space presented by the Ohio Soybean Council. Additional nursing stations are located in Kasich Hall, the Bricker MarketPlace Building, Ohio Showcase Building, Ohio Agriculture Center presented by Nationwide® , and near Machinery Social Hall.

Lost and Found

Our lost and found office during the Ohio State Fair is organized and managed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and is located on grounds near Gate 3 at the north end of the Mountain Dew Midway. If you realize you have lost an item after leaving the Fair, please call (614) 466-6666.

Lost Children booths

The Ohio State Highway Patrol staffs a booth at both of the main entrance gates (Cardinal and OHIO Gates) with "Lost Kid Tags.” The tags help identify the child if he or she gets separated from his or her parents. You can also call the Highway Patrol headquarters at (614) 466-6666 for more information.

Parking

Free Fair Park and Ride at Columbus State

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Parking at the Ohio State Fair is $10 per vehicle. Parking will be available to purchase with admission on May 1 or on site upon arrival to the Fair. Reserved parking is not available to the general public for purchase. Parking is accessible from I-71 at the 17th Avenue exit and the Hudson Street exit at Silver Drive.

Free Park-and-Ride

Ohio State Fair guests can park for free off-site and ride free in air-conditioned shuttles to the Fair. At the Ohio State Fair, the shuttle will pick up and drop off at the 11th Avenue gate (the OHIO Gate).

Columbus State Community College (July 29 – Aug. 7, Aug. 9) – Every day except Aug. 8, Fair guests can park at Columbus State Community College. The free parking shuttle will pick up and drop off at the intersection of Washington and Spring Street.
The Ohio State University – (Saturdays only, Aug. 1 and Aug. 8) – On Saturdays during the Ohio State Fair, guests can park at OSU’s French Field House South lot, located at French Field House South Lot 460 Woody Hayes Drive, Columbus, OH 43210. The shuttle will pick up at the U-shaped driving loop on the south side of St. John Arena.
Shuttle Hours -

Monday - Friday – 10 a.m. – Midnight
Saturday and Sunday* (except Sunday, Aug. 9) - 9 a.m. – Midnight
Sunday, Aug. 9* – 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. (To ensure timely entry, all guests planning to take the off-site shuttle should arrive at the off-site lot by 5 p.m., as entry gates close at 6 p.m. The fair closes promptly at 9 p.m., so all guests should plan to arrive by approximately 8:15 p.m. to catch shuttles back to the parking lot.)

Ohio State Fair guests can park for free at Columbus State Community College and ride free in air-conditioned shuttles to the 11th Avenue entry gate (the OHIO Gate).

Columbus State Community College Parking Details (July 29 – Aug. 7, Aug. 9)

All day on Saturday, Aug. 8, Fairgoers can park at The Ohio State University in the French Field House South Lot. After 2:30 p.m., parking will also be available at Columbus State.

Directions
From I-71, get off at the Spring Street exit. Click here for additional directions, including videos of how to access Columbus State Community College.

Address (for use in GPS navigation systems/mapping):
534 E Long Street, Columbus, OH 43215

Parking Map
Park for free in any of the red maps shown on the park-and-ride map. Please note that there may be signs posted about paying to park, as the college does charge for parking outside of the designated lots and outside of the Ohio State Fair dates in the designated lots. If you are attending the Ohio State Fair July 23 - Aug. 3 and park in the red lots, you do not need to pay to park.

Free Park-and-Ride Shuttle
The free parking shuttle will pick up and drop off at the intersection of Washington and Spring Street, shown on the park-and-ride map with a yellow star. At the Ohio State Fair, the shuttle will pick up and drop off at the 11th Avenue gate (the OHIO Gate).

The Ohio State University Parking Details (Saturdays only, Aug. 1 and Aug. 8)

Directions
Take Lane Avenue or Kinnear Road to Kenny Road near West Campus. Turn onto Woody Hayes Drive and proceed straight and turn left into the lot just past the Woody Hayes Bridge. The entrance to the South Fieldhouse Lot across from Cannon Drive is no longer used to enter the lot. There is No Access to the South Fieldhouse Lot from the South, by way of the Medical Center Drive exit or through the Wexner Medical Center streets. You must enter the lot from the North.

Address (for use in GPS navigation systems/mapping):
460 Woody Hayes Drive, Columbus, OH 43210

Shuttles

Parking Shuttles

Free Parking Shuttles are available in the general parking lots, which are accessible from I-71 at the 17th Avenue exit and the Hudson Street exit at Silver Drive. Ride the complimentary shuttles to and from the main entrance gate and your vehicle.

On-Grounds Shuttles

Our complimentary shuttle makes frequent stops approximately every 20 minutes at pre-determined locations around the perimeter of the grounds as listed on the map.

Pets

Pets are not permitted on the grounds during the Fair with the exception of service dogs or animals approved as part of an exhibition or competition (such as livestock and 4-H events). Service animals are those that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Patrons attempting to bring non-service animals into the Fair, including emotional support, comfort, therapy, companion, and all other animals not included in the scope of service animals, will be asked to remove those animals from the Fair for the safety of our guests and the pets. Service animal relief areas with waste receptacles will be available on the Rhodes Center Lawn, in Central Park, and in Natural Resources Park.

Water Bottle Refill Stations

Water bottle refill stations are available for the convenience of our guests in the following locations: Water bottle refill stations can be found in the Taft Coliseum, Bricker MarketPlace Building, Lausche Youth Exploration Space presented by the Ohio Soybean Council, Kasich Hall, Ohio Showcase Building, Ohio Agriculture Center presented by Nationwide® , Rhodes Center, WCOL Celeste Center, Voinovich Livestock & Trade Center presented by Ag Pro Companies, and Natural Resources Park.

Wheelchair, Stroller, Wagon, and Locker Rentals

HomeTown Mobility is proud to be the exclusive scooter and wheelchair rental provider for the Ohio State Fair. A limited number of wheelchairs and scooters are held for walk-up customers on a first-come, first-served basis.

Single Stroller - $20/day
Double Stroller - $25/day
Wagon - $20/day
Manual wheelchair - $30/day*
Electric scooter - $80/day (8 a.m. - 11 p.m.)*
Storage cubicles (lockers) - $5/day

*Advance reservations for manual wheelchairs or electric scooters

HomeTown Mobility accepts advance reservations online at htmia.com or by calling 1-712-938-2029 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. The company is open seven days a week during the Fair to accept call-in reservations and answer questions from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. There is an additional $5 processing fee for all call-in reservations. Reservations will ONLY be accepted for full day scooter and wheelchair rentals. Reservations are not accepted for strollers, wagons, or storage cubicles. Reservations need to be made 24 hours in advance. A driver’s license or state ID is required for all rentals. Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance to receive a full refund, minus a $5 cancellation fee.

HomeTown Mobility is located inside the main Cardinal Gate and the OHIO Gate. Accessible parking is available in the main parking lots near the Cardinal Gate. Buses, ride shares, and the free park-and-ride drop off at or near the OHIO Gate.

Walk-up rental of manual wheelchairs and electric scooters

A limited number of wheelchairs and electric scooters are available on a first-come, first-served basis. It is highly recommended that you reserve a unit to ensure you have a rental for the day of your visit.

Have a question not answered on this page?

Please feel free to call the Ohio State Fair at 614-644-FAIR (614-644-3247) or 1-888-OHO-EXPO (1-888-646-3976), or email us at info@expo.ohio.gov.