I can't believe it's butter! Butter cows through the years at the Ohio State Fair
Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·2 min read
The butter cow and calf sculptures have been presented annually at the Ohio State Fair since 1903 when the very first likenesses were part of a butter sculpting contest. They delighted crowds and became a permanent attraction which is now housed in the Dairy Products Building.
The butter cow and calf now appear annually along other elements, also sculpted in butter, that carry various themes including cultural trends in Ohio. Past tributes include Darth Vader, Neil Armstrong, Brutus Buckeye and the Furby.
Approximately 500,000 people view the butter cow and calf each year. The 2022 butter cow, according to the Ohio State Fair's website, was the largest display in Ohio State Fair history, made of 2.530 pounds of better.
Dick Ross of Worthington sculpts an 800 lb. cow in butter for the Ohio State Fair in 1970.
Butter cow and butter calf at the Ohio State fair in 1982.
Dan Ross works on his butter sculpture of a gymnast in the cooler at the dairy products building at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus in this 1992 black and white photo. Sculptures of three athletes, in addition to the traditional cow and calf, will be on display during the 17-day run of the fair.
The last butter cow to be sculpted by Dan Ross in 1999. Ross had sculpted the butter cows and other elements for display at the Ohio State Fair for 36 years.
Bob Kling makes a final touch to his Furby creation at the butter cow display at the Ohio State Fair in 2000. Kling is director of Sculpting for Hasbro.
Freelance artist Bob Kling's butter cow honoring soccer and the Columbus Crew was unveiled at the Ohio State Fair in 2001. Kling and a crew of five others created the sculptures from 2,000 pounds of butter in about 190 hours.
Sculptor Jan LaGory works under the butter cow at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in 2003.
A young girl enjoys an ice cream cone while admiring an ice cream-themed Butter Cow exhibit at the Ohio State fair.
A big block of Ohio Swiss Cheese accompanied the 2007 butter cow and calf sculptures at the Ohio State Fair.
The butter cow exhibit at the Ohio State Fair in 2009 was a tribute to the people behind the dairy products.
The butter cow exhibit at the Ohio State Fair in 2009 was a tribute to the people behind the dairy products.
Butter sculptures of two NFL players, Chinedum Ndukwe of the Cincinnati Bengals, left, and Joe Thomas of the Cleveland Browns, are seen next to the traditional butter cow and calf at the 2010 Ohio State Fair.
Folks crowd around the butter cow and calf sculptures at the Ohio State Fair in 2011.
The butter cow the 2012 Ohio State Fair was accompanied by a 200th birthday cake also made from butter.
The Ohio State Fair's 2013 butter cow and calf sculptures. The annual tradition of creating a life-size cow and calf sculpture. Created from about 2,000 pounds of butter, the sculptures took 543 hours to complete, which included 378 hours of actual sculpting by a group of artists led by Robert Kling.
The Ohio State Fair's 2013 butter sculptures includes a life-size cow and calf with an additional salute to the All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir's 50th anniversary and its founder Glenville D. Thomas. Created from about 2,000 pounds of butter, the sculptures took 543 hours to complete, which included 378 hours of actual sculpting by a group of artists led by Robert Kling.
The 2014 butter cow exhibit at the Ohio State Fair included iconic items from around the state.
The 2015 Ohio State fair butter cow display included Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer, Brutus Buckeye and a football helmet.
The 2015 Ohio State fair butter cow display included Ohio State mascot Brutus Buckeye.
Butter sculptures honored the Cleveland Cavaliers' NBA basketball championship team at the Ohio State Fair in 2016.
Fairgoers check out the butter cow exhibit at the Ohio State Fair in 2017. The theme was chocolate milk and was tied in with OHSAA.
A butter cow display includes scenes from the classic film "A Christmas Story" at the Ohio State Fair in 2018.
The 2019 Ohio State Fair butter sculptures include the Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin and Michael Collins, as well as the traditional butter cow.
The 2022 butter display at the Ohio State Fair honored the fair's agricultural heritage. 2,530 pounds of butter was used and is the biggest in Ohio State Fair history. The display took over 600 hours to create.
More than 2,500 pounds of butter were used to create the 2022 butter sculpture display at the Ohio State Fair which included a cow and calf, a chicken, a pig and a lamb.
Admission gate hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, except on Aug. 6, when gates close at 6 p.m.
Advance admission tickets cost $8 through July 25 at ticketmaster.com. Gate admission prices are: adults (ages 13-59) – $12; youth (ages 6-12) – $10; senior (ages 60 and older) – $10. Children 5 and younger are admitted for free.
General parking is free in the main lots north of the Cardinal Gate. COTA Line 8 and Line 22 bus stops are available on 11th Avenue just west of the Ohio Gate 8 south entrance.
Concerts include KidzBop, Third Eye Blind, Clint Black, Keith Sweat, Yung Gravy, Casting Crowns, Ludacris, Keith Sweat, Tyler Hubbard, Styx and more.
Free events in the Celeste Center include the All-Ohio State Fair Band and Youth Choir and the Sale of Champions Livestock Auction.
