The theme was chosen because major renovations are underway across the fairgrounds, including in the historic Dairy Products Building where the home of the butter cow and calf resides, according to a statement by The American Dairy Association Mideast.
The construction scene also includes scaffolding, sawhorses, safety cones and a “Pardon Our Dust” sign – all sculpted in butter.
“We’re so excited the Dairy Products Building is part of the master plan to revitalize and enhance the fairgrounds,” said Jenny Crabtree, senior vice president of communications for the American Dairy Association Mideast. “The butter cow’s home is getting a well-deserved facelift, and we can’t wait for fairgoers to experience the improvements in 2026.”
Renovations will be completed next year where the century-old Dairy Products Building will offer a more comfortable experience for fairgoers, with long-awaited upgrades including air conditioning, new amenities and a larger kitchen.
This year’s display was crafted from 2,000 pounds of butter by a group of Ohio-based sculptors, led by Paul Brooke of Cincinnati and includes Tammy Buerk of Oregonia, Erin Birum of Columbus, dairy farmer Matt Davidson of Sidney, Gabriela Schmidt of Akron and Joe Metzler of Hamilton, where they spent approximately 400 hours creating the display, including about 335 hours working inside the 46-degree cooler.
To bring the sculptures to life, the artists built steel and wooden frames, layered butter by hand and gradually refined the forms before chiseling and smoothing the final details.
“With all the real construction at the fairgrounds this year, it only felt right to put the butter cow and calf to work,” said lead sculptor Paul Brooke. “They’ve got their hard hats on and are ready to join the crew.”
The butter cow display attracts more than 500,000 visitors at the Ohio State Fair, gaining nationwide recognition and media attention, according to the statement.
“A long-standing tradition for Ohio’s more than 1,350 dairy farm families, the American Dairy Association Mideast chooses an icon or theme to feature in butter that is non-political, non-controversial and reflects optimism and broad audience appeal,” the dairy association said. “Each year, the theme of the butter cow display is one of the best-kept secrets leading up to the fair.”
The Ohio State Fair runs through Aug. 3 at the Ohio Expo Center.
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