‘The Soundtrack of Summer’ unveiled as Indiana State Fair theme

INDIANAPOLIS — Inspired by live music, farm machines and Midway rides, the Indiana State Fair announced “The Soundtrack of Summer” as the theme for this year’s event.

The fair’s animals, ranging from pigs in the Swine Barn to horses trotting and pacing during harness racing at the Grandstand, also provide sounds that influenced the theme, fair organizers announced.

This year’s Indiana State Fair is scheduled Aug. 1-17, with no activity on Mondays during that time at the fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St.

A new attraction titled “Vinyl Revival” is planned to underscore the soundtrack theme. A traveling exhibit titled “The Art of Music Experience” and a pop-up record store organized by the fair and Broad Ripple shop Indy CD & Vinyl will highlight “Vinyl Revival.”

“Vinyl Revival” will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day of the fair.

Artist announcements for concerts at the fair’s Hoosier Lottery Free Stage are expected in June.

Get Prepared Indiana, an awareness campaign launched by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, is the title sponsor of the “The Soundtrack of Summer.” The campaign focuses on emergencies such as severe weather and fires.

The fair began designating themes in 2007:

• 2007: “Year of the Corn”
• 2008: “Year of Indiana Trees”
• 2009: “Year of the Tomato”
• 2010: “Year of Pigs”
• 2011: “Year of the Soybean”
• 2012: “Year of the Dairy Cow”
• 2013: “Year of Popcorn”
• 2014: “A Time to Celebrate” (Coliseum reopens)
• 2015: “The Year of the Farmer”
• 2016: “Celebrating Indiana’s Bicentennial”
• 2017: “The Wonderful World of Food”
• 2018: “Step Right Up” (Circus theme)
• 2019: “Heroes in the Heartland”
• 2020: “Basketball” (fair was canceled because of the pandemic)
• 2021: “Celebrating the Hoosier Spirit”
• 2022: “Celebrating Indiana’s Automotive Excellence”
• 2023: “Basketball: Celebrating the State that Grew the Game”
• 2024: “The Art & Nature of Fun”
• 2025: “The Soundtrack of Summer”