2026 Ohio State Fair Butter Cow Display
On behalf of Ohio’s dairy farmers, the 2026 butter cow display at the Ohio State Fair celebrates America’s 250th birthday with some of the nation’s most recognizable symbols.
This year’s display features the iconic butter cow and calf, with the calf sporting a stars-and-stripes hat. Joining them are a majestic bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, American and Ohio flags, and an America 250 sign, all sculpted from butter and set against a fireworks-filled night sky.
“As America celebrates 250 years, Ohio’s dairy farm families are proud to join in honoring the people, industries and traditions that have shaped our nation,” says Jenny Crabtree, senior vice president of communications for the American Dairy Association Mideast. “For generations, dairy farm families have been part of that story, working every day to nourish our communities while caring for their cows and the land.”
This year’s butter cow display marks the first to be housed in the newly renovated Dairy Building, where fairgoers will enjoy an enhanced visitor experience, including air conditioning and new amenities.
Visitors can also enjoy hand-dipped ice cream, creamy milkshakes and Swiss cheese sandwiches. The featured Ohio State Fair ice cream flavor is Star Spangled Swirl, a creamy take on the classic rocket pop, featuring tart cherry, zesty lime and sweet blue raspberry.
Behind this year’s display is a team of Ohio artists who transformed 2,100 pounds of butter into a celebration of America’s 250th birthday.Led by Paul Brooke of Cincinnati, the sculpting team also includes Tammy Buerk of Oregonia, Erin Birum of Columbus, dairy farmer Matt Davidson of Sidney and Gabriela Schmidt of Akron.
Together, the team spent approximately 400 hours creating the display, including about 365 hours sculpting inside the new 45-degree cooler located at the center of the Dairy Building. Beginning with wood and steel frames, the artists layer butter by hand before carefully smoothing and refining each sculpture.
For more than a century, the butter cow display has been one of the Ohio State Fair’s most beloved traditions, attracting more than 500,000 visitors each year and earning nationwide media attention. Each year, the American Dairy Association Mideast selects a theme that is non-political, non-controversial and reflects optimism and broad audience appeal. The annual theme remains one of the fair’s best-kept secrets until opening day. Take a look back at some of our favorite moments from the iconic butter cow display.
The Ohio State Fair is July 29 through Aug. 9, 2026 at the Ohio Expo Center. The butter cow display and the Dairy Building are sponsored by the American Dairy Association Mideast, a marketing and promotion program funded by Ohio dairy farmers. The butter was donated by Dairy Farmers of America and will be recycled after the fair.
To learn more about the butter cow display and the sculpting process, check out this video.
