COLUMBUS — The Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame inducted its 2026 class in the newly opened Ohio Showcase Building. The Hall of Fame, established in 1976, recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions toward making the Ohio State Fair one of the nation’s premier expositions.
Since the program’s inception, more than 200 members have been inducted for their outstanding contributions toward making the Ohio State Fair one of our nation’s premier expositions.
2026 Hall of Fame Inductees
Beth Burger, former exhibitor and draft horse supporter
For 74 years, Burger has been a dedicated presence at the Ohio State Fair, continuing her family’s draft horse tradition dating to the 1920s. Horses from her bloodlines have earned numerous championships across North America, and her accomplishments earned her a place in the Percheron Horse Association of America Hall of Fame. Her children and grandchildren continue the family’s legacy as fourth- and fifth-generation fair exhibitors.
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Jenny Crabtree, senior vice president of communications for the American Dairy Association Mideast, fair supporter
For more than three decades, Crabtree has promoted the dairy industry in Ohio and West Virginia, strengthening consumer trust and advancing dairy’s role in health and wellness. She oversees the Dairy Building and its famous butter cow and calf display at the Ohio State Fair. Under her leadership, ADA Mideast has earned numerous state and national communications awards.
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Ron Dean, Ohio Department of Agriculture chief amusement ride inspector
Dean has dedicated his career to amusement ride safety since beginning at Geauga Lake in 1997. He joined the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Amusement Ride Safety Division in 2005 and was named Ohio’s chief ride inspector in 2023. Ron holds the highest National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials (NAARSO) certification and serves as a national instructor and board member. He has helped open every Ohio State Fair held during his tenure and has opened and closed every day of the fair since 2018.
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2026 Scholarship Awards
As part of the ceremony, the Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame presented five scholarship awards to youth, drawn from three endowment funds:
Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame Junior Fair Board Scholarship Endowment: Samantha Bader and Lydia Fuchs
Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame Non-Livestock Junior Fair Exhibitors Scholarship Endowment: Anna Saling and Gillian Knight
Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame Band & Choir Scholarship Endowment: Isadore Bailey, representing the All-Ohio State Fair Band and Youth Choir
