2026 Taste of the Fair presented by Pepsi

Indianapolis, IN – Step up to the plate for one of the Indiana State Fair’s most anticipated traditions. The Indiana State Fair is proud to unveil the 2026 Taste of the Fair, presented by Pepsi, featuring almost 50 new and unforgettable food creations across the Fairgrounds. Inspired by this year’s baseball theme and fueled by Hoosier creativity, the lineup delivers everything from over-the-top desserts and refreshing beverages to savory comfort foods and bold new flavor combinations. Whether you’re returning for a Fair favorite or searching for your next must-try bite, this year offers something to satisfy every craving. The newest featured creations include:

2026 Taste of the Fair Entries:

Bacon Jalapeño HoneyBun Burger

McWaters Concessions

Angus Burger served on Toasted Honey Buns, Pepper Jack Cheese, Bacon, Lettuce, Red Onion, & Candied Jalapeños.  

Bananas Foster Cold Brew Float

Hook’s Drugstore Museum

Vanilla cold brew with vanilla ice cream. Topped with banana cold foam, cinnamon powder, and caramel drizzle.

Blue Raspberry Milkshake

American Dairy Association of Indiana Inc

“Every year, fair goers make their way back to the Dairy Bar for our featured milkshake! This year’s Blue Raspberry milkshake is sweet, tangy, and impossibly creamy — the kind of treat that turns a hot fair day into a core memory. See you there.”

Brownie Delight

GC Foods

A fresh baked brownie topped with high butter fat ice cream, homemade whipped cream and hot fudge.

Buffalo Chicken Dip Pizza

DG Concessions

Our made from scratch pizza crust, topped with homemade Buffalo chicken dip, green onions, a drizzle of Buffalo sauce, and a tortilla chip crunch.

Butter Dipped Ice Cream

Urick Concessions

Creamy vanilla soft serve dipped in real melted butter that hardens into a rich golden shell, finished with flaky sea salt for the perfect sweet-and-salty bite. Warm buttery flavor meets cold creamy soft serve in one wildly unexpected cone. Everything is better with butter!

Charlie’s Mexican Street Corn Pizza

Charlie’s Fair Foods

Buttery street corn pizza topped with roasted peppers, creamy signature sauce, tajín, parmesan, and fresh lime for the perfect kick of flavor.

Chili Lime Smoked Chicken Leg

Smokehouse Saloon

Apple Cider Vinegar/Lime Juice, Chili/Adobo Rub, Smoke/Love ❤️, Avocado Ranch.

Cookie Butter Biscoff Funnel Cake

R&W Concessions

Fresh made funnel cake with powdered sugar, drizzled with cookie butter, vanilla icing and topped off with crumbled Biscoff cookies.

Corn Dog Beer

Sun King Brewery

Corn Dog Beer is brewed with corn and smoked malt to evoke the sweet-and-savory nostalgia of a classic Indiana State Fair corn dog. Notes of toasted corn and subtle smoke give way to an easy-drinking finish worthy of the midway.

Cornbread and ‘Que

Indiana Pork Producers

Our Cornbread & Que stacks our most popular pulled pork on warm cornbread and finishes it with a drizzle of hot honey for the perfect sweet-meets-savory bite.

Cornival Fiesta Bowl

Fairlivin Concessions

A vibrant blend of crisp green leaf lettuce, shredded broccoli, red and savory cabbage, carrots, and green onions. Tossed with sweet corn, savory Parmesan cheese, and crunchy tortilla strips, all drizzled with a rich, creamy elote.

Cosmic Mango Coconut Dirty Soda

R&W Concessions

We start off with Starry – a crisp, refreshing, and caffeine-free lemon-lime soda, mix in mango puree, top it off with coconut cream for a TROPICAL ISLAND TASTE!

Cowboy Fries

R&W Concessions

Fresh cooked French fries loaded with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, then drizzled with Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce.

Craft Beer Soft Serve

Urick Concessions

Indiana craft beer meets soft serve in this unexpected collab from Urick Concessions and Black Dog Brewing Company. Black Dog’s Rainbow Road Fruited Sour Beer is transformed into creamy soft serve. Served in a cake cone, delivering a bright fruity flavor with a tart finish. It’s cold, refreshing, slightly sweet, and unlike anything else at the Fair.

Deep Fried Lindor Dubai Chocolate Truffle

Ormes Deep Fried Treats

We take 3 Lindor Dubai Chocolate Truffles filled with Pistachio cream and put them on a skewer. Then it is dipped into our sweet funnel cake batter and fried to golden perfection! It can be topped with pistachio cream or any of our premium Ghirardelli sauces.

Dew Drop Banana Dirty Soda

R&W Concessions

We start off with Mountain Dew – a heavily caffeinated, sweet, and tangy citrus soda, mix in banana puree and topped off with sweet cream.

Dirty Popcorn

Urick Concessions

The snack you didn’t know you needed… until now. Fresh popcorn loaded with outrageous flavor combos. Each one is layered with drizzles, candies, cookies, crunches, and over-the-top toppings for the ultimate addictive fair snack experience.

Dirty Slime Licker

Georgia’s Kitchen

Blue Hawaiian or Strawberries & Cream

Double Play

Georgia’s Kitchen

Italian Sausage topped with shredded sirloin, cheese, peppers & onions

Grand Slam Mary

Urick Concessions

This over-the-top Bloody Mary celebrates the Indianapolis Indians with a full lineup of ballpark-inspired garnishes including a burger slider, hot dog slider, waffle fries, soft pretzel stick, Cracker Jacks, celery, lemon, and more. Built with vodka and Zing Zang mix. It’s the ultimate game day cocktail in a cup!

Hot Cheeto Fried Oreo

The Cookie Jar

A golden Oreo dipped in our homemade Hot Cheeto batter, fried, and then rolled in Hot Cheeto Dust. Served with a drizzle of nacho cheese and Hot Cheeto crumbles.

Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls

The Cavity Factory

A nostalgic jumbo, fluffy, moist cinnamon roll soaking in a caramelized sugar & topped with a cream cheese glaze. 

Key Lime in Paradise

McGrotha Foods

A cool and tangy key lime kick with a creamy hint of vanilla and topped with crumbled graham cracker.

Lemon Shake-Up Float

Lauren Conway Concessions

Fresh-squeezed lemonade topped with creamy vanilla ice cream for the perfect sweet and tangy summer treat.

Loaded Bourbon Chicken Fries

Urick Concessions

Crispy fries smothered in creamy hatch queso and topped with crunchy popcorn chicken tossed in smoky bourbon barbecue sauce. Finished with crispy bacon and fresh parsley for the ultimate savory comfort food bite

Mango Loco

Cantina Louie

Sweet Mango meets spicy chamoy for the ultimate flavor explosion! 

A refreshing cup of fresh cup of cut mango slices served over a tangy blend of mango and citrus juices, topped with tajin seasoning, chamoy sauce, and a hint of chili spice. This popular Mexican-inspired fruit treat delivers the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, salty and tangy flavors in every bite.

Nashville Hot Fried Pickles

Dr. Vegetable Inc.

A spicy take on our classic fried pickles! We add Nashville hot seasoning to our crispy fried pickle spears and serve them with ranch dressing! 

Orangey Wild

Stubborn Methods

A grand slam combination of orange cream soda and wild cherry limeade. Bold cherry flavor and a refreshing lime finish make this all-star blend a fan favorite from first pitch to final out…git ya one.

Pickle Pesto Pizza

Swains Concessions

It’s our homemade dough that we make from scratch then add pesto to the crust next week add mozzarella cheese, pickles and dill seasoning cook it to perfection. You can add the pesto drizzle to the top or have it with our award-winning pickle ranch.

Pickle Shake Up

Shake Up Cocktails

Relish the moment all year long with this balanced pickle lemonade made for celebration at the fair midway. This one’s the real dill!

Pork Rind Nachos

Smokehouse Saloon

Pulled Pork or Smoked Chicken, Smoked Pork Rinds, Queso Cheese, Cole Slaw, BBQ Sauce, Green Onions served with Sour Cream on the side.

Raspberry Sweet Tea Slushie

Colp’s Concession

A refreshing blend of smooth sweet tea and juicy raspberry flavor, this Raspberry Sweet Tea Slushie is icy, bold, and perfectly sweet. Blended to a frosty finish and every sip delivers a crisp tea flavor with a burst of fruity goodness. Cool, refreshing, and made for warm fair days. 

Sky Ride Sunset Shake Up

McWaters Concessions

A fruit twist with a classic fair staple, the Lemonade Shake up… Infusion of Strawberry, Peach and Lemon. 

Soul Train Egg Rolls

J&J A Taste of Home Catering

Crispy egg rolls filled with seasoned jerk chicken, caribbean spiced cabbage, rice and cheese bringing bold island flavors.

Don’t worry vegans because we have a vegan version made with jerk jackfruit. 

Strawberry Cream Lemonade Shakeup

Dr. Vegetable Inc.

We add strawberry and coconut milk to our freshly shaken lemonade shakeup to make a sweet and creamy tropical beverage!

Strawberry Pineapple Twister

Twisted Drinks and Food

Strawberry Pineapple Twister is a fresh made fruit drink with sliced strawberries and pineapple tidbits twisted to perfection with sugar, ice and water to make a summertime classic!

Strawberry Shortcake

Gobble Gobble Food Truck

A classic summer favorite with a State Fair twist. Layers of fluffy golden cake with sweet, juicy strawberries and topped with a generous cloud of whipped cream and a crunchy strawberry crumble bite! Fresh, light, and bursting with strawberry flavor, it’s the perfect way to celebrate 25 years of Gobble Gobble at the Indiana State Fair. Let’s Eat Cake!! 

Strawberry Shortcake

GC FOODS

Shortcake biscuit topped with high butter fat ice cream, strawberries, and homemade whip cream from scratch.

Tatanka “The General Tso Fries”

Red Frazier Bison

Ground Bison, Pickled carrot/slaw mix, French Fries tossed in General Tso’s Sauce, Sriracha Mayo, Green Onions, Sesame Seeds.

Vegetarian version offered with Fried Brussel Sprouts instead of Bison.

The Big Dill

American Dairy Association Indiana Inc

Some things are ‘always a hit’ — and The Big Dill is proof.  A bold combination of creamy Havarti, melty cheddar, and tangy dill pickles grilled to golden perfection on sourdough, this sandwich swings for the fences and delivers every time. It’s tangy, it’s gooey, it’s bold — and it just might be the best thing you eat all summer!

The Great American Shake

RES Food and Drink

SWEET.  BOLD.  AMERICAN

Creamy hand dipped vanilla shake poured into a cup lined with red and blue syrup, loaded with whipped cream and red, white and blue sprinkles, and topped with a cherry. For a true taste of FREEDOM!   

The Junkyard Spam Dog

Urick Concessions

One of the newest innovations from the iconic SPAM® brand, the SPAM® Dog is a crave-worthy reimagination of the classic hot dog. Making its Indiana State Fair debut, The Junkyard SPAM® Dog loads this bold new creation with creamy mac & cheese, coleslaw, crunchy potato chips, smoky BBQ sauce, and sliced jalapeños for a delicious collision of flavor and texture in every bite.

The S’MORK

Nitro Hog BBQ

The “S’Mork” is Nitro Hog BBQ’s sweet-and-smoky mashup of a classic s’more and slow-smoked pulled pork, served on a fried sugar biscuit.

The Sweet and Salty Spiral

Colp’s Concessions

Crispy, golden spiral taters piled high and loaded with bacon crumbles, then drizzled with rich Hershey’s chocolate syrup for the perfect sweet-and-savory bite. Every crunchy curl delivers a bold mix of salty bacon and smooth chocolate that’s surprisingly addictive and totally one of a kind.

Tropical Breeze Boba Lemonade

Indiana Ribeye

A refreshing way to breeze through your day at the State Fair! A refreshing tropical taste with boba in your favorite Hand shaken Original Lemonade! 

Vegan HomeRun Sliders

Black Leaf Vegan, LLC

Stacked, saucy, and straight-up irresistible. Our juicy plant-based patties are dripping with melty cheddar, layered on a soft, sweet brioche bun. Topped with crisp red onions, tangy pickles, fresh slaw, and a smoky bacon crunch… all finished with our signature mayo that hits with a bold, creamy kick. One bite and it’s game over — this is fair food redefined.

World’s Tallest Fry

Freund Family Foods

The World’s Tallest Fry! Tater Twister are extra tall and extra tasty. Enough to share, but why would you!

Fairgoers are encouraged to vote for their favorite Taste of the Fair entry throughout the Fair. Voting is by scanning the QR codes displayed at participating concession stands. The top 3 will be featured and announced the final week of the Fair.

Planning your food excursion is easier than ever with a complete map of featured food locations available at Prairie Farms Information Booths and online at IndianaStateFair.com once the fair opens. Grab your friends, bring your appetite, and experience the best flavors of summer, one bite at a time.

Discount tickets are available through August 6th at IndianaStateFair.com.

About the Indiana State Fair:

The Indiana State Fair, known as the state’s premier multi-day event, is a vibrant celebration of the Hoosier spirit and agricultural legacy. Over 15 exciting days, it unites communities across Indiana to honor the state’s unique identity and welcomes visitors from far and wide. Renowned for its top-notch entertainment, spotlight on 4-H youth, engaging agricultural education programs, modern facilities, and an array of delicious fare, the Indiana State Fair has been a treasured tradition for Hoosiers for over a century. The 2026 Indiana State Fair takes place from August 7th to August 23rd (closed Mondays). For comprehensive event information, ticket details, and attractions, be sure to visit our official website at www.indianastatefair.com.

About Brian Scott

I play on the radio from 7 am - 10 am weekdays on 98.9 WYRZ and WYRZ.org. Follow me on twitter @WYRZBrianScott or e-mail me at brian@wyrz.org.

Check Also

Hendricks County legislators highlight new state laws taking effect July 1st

STATEHOUSE (June 30, 2026) – Following the conclusion of the 2026 legislative session, local lawmakers …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RCAST.NET