By Andi Anderson
The 2025 Ohio State Fair butter cow display, a long-time favorite of fairgoers, returns with a cheerful and hardworking new theme: “Pardon Our Dust!”
Created on behalf of Ohio’s 1,350 dairy farm families, the butter display is unveiled by the American Dairy Association Mideast and features the iconic butter cow and calf wearing butter hard hats.
They are joined by three life-size butter construction workers, a jackhammer, blueprints, radios, scaffolding, and safety signs—all crafted entirely from 2,000 pounds of butter.
The display celebrates ongoing renovations at the Ohio Expo Center, especially the historic Dairy Products Building, home to the butter cow exhibit. Jenny Crabtree, senior VP of communications for ADA Mideast, noted, “The butter cow’s home is getting a well-deserved facelift, and we can’t wait for fairgoers to experience the improvements in 2026.”
Improvements will include air conditioning, better amenities, and a larger kitchen, creating a more comfortable space for visitors. Just as the building is being modernized, Ohio’s dairy farmers are also innovating—using robotic milking, recycling water, and generating renewable energy from manure.
Led by Paul Brooke of Cincinnati, the butter sculpture team includes Tammy Buerk, Erin Birum, Matt Davidson, Joe Metzler, and Gabriela Schmidt. They worked over 400 hours, with 335 of those inside a 46-degree cooler, building steel and wooden frames, layering butter, and chiseling fine details.
“The butter cow and calf are ready to join the crew,” said Brooke.
This year’s fair runs July 23 to August 3, 2025. While renovations are ongoing, classic treats like ice cream, Swiss cheese sandwiches, and milk will still be available in the Dairy Products Building.
The butter was donated in part by Dairy Farmers of America and will be recycled after the fair.
Categories: Ohio, Rural Lifestyle