Aside from 4-H and open sheep shows, The Indiana Sheep Association (ISA) is sponsoring additional sheep-themed competitions, vendors and educational opportunities at this year’s Indiana State Fair with additional support from the Sheep and Wool Market Development Program (IN S&W).

Learn all about sheep this year with these opportunities at the Indiana State Fair which are open to the public:

- Duration of Fair: The Wool Room vendor and Ewe2, in the Sheep Barn and across the street between the back of the Coliseum and the Youth Arena, respectively.

- Aug. 2, 10 a.m.: Open Wool Judging and Wool Sale, The Wool Room, Blue Ribbon Pavilion

- Aug. 4, 2 p.m.: Indiana Make It with Wool (MIWW) Competition, 3rd floor of the Indiana Arts Building

- Aug. 4, 5 p.m.: Indiana State Fair Shearing Contest, Champions Pavilion

- Aug. 8-11; 11 a.m.-6 p.m.: A Taste From Indiana Farms

- Aug. 18, 10 a.m.: Indiana Sheep-to-Shawl Competition, Performance floor of Indiana Arts Building

“ISA is proud to bring the spirit of our industry to the fair, and this year we will bring it in the theme of ‘Art and Nature’ showcasing sheep-related art in the sheep barn and Wool Room drawn by Indiana artists,” said Jane Smith, ISA president.

To suit the State Fair’s overall “Art and Nature” theme, ISA reached out to Indiana artists to depict sheep in their art. In particular, Indiana artist Laura Winslow graciously donated copies of her sheep paintings to ISA that were printed into stickers and magnets that will be handed out to 4-H winners and showcased in the Wool Room.

Beginning on the first day of the fair, The Wool Room and Ewe2 vendors will be open all day, providing something for everyone between Indiana-grown wool items, fair and western-style clothing, jewelry, gifts, and other items. Open Wool Judging will take place there the same day where spectators wanting to learn more about wool can hear judges comments and ask questions in-person,

The MIWW Competition and fashion show will be Aug. 4 in the Indiana Arts Building. Competitors will show off their hand-made wool entries during the fashion show and awards announcements. Later that day, the Shearing Contest will feature professional and amateur sheep shearers competing based on the factors of timing, handling and accuracy as they shear sheep back-to-back beginning at 5 p.m.

Aug. 8-11, fairgoers can sample lamb for free at the Indiana Farm Bureau’s Taste from Indiana Farms in the Fall Creek Pavilion. The lamb is provided by the IN S&W Checkoff and ISA. Aug. 18, attendees can witness the annual Sheep-to-Shawl competition in which youth teams will rush to finish a wool shawl from scratch, beginning with carding, then spinning wool into yarn and ending with weaving the pattern together all in a four-hour time frame.

Sheep can be found in the Blue Ribbon Pavilion off and on Aug. 4-20 for open and 4-H shows. For a more detailed schedule of when you can see sheep at the fair, please see the 2024 Indiana State Fair Livestock Schedule found at https://www.indianastatefair.com/p/state-fair/livestock/livestock-show-schedule.