Alcohol to be more available at Indiana State Fair in 2016

Fair spokeswoman Lesley Gordon said the expanded alcohol access comes "in response to customer demand and in an effort to improve the customer experience."

Fairgoers have clamored for drinking areas other than the Grand Hall, which is home to the popular Indiana Beer, Wine and Spirits exhibition highlighting the state's microbreweries, farm wineries and craft distilleries.

Adults still won't be permitted to walk down the Midway or stroll through the Swine Barn holding a beer; drinking will be restricted to designated, controlled areas at the Free Stage and Grandstand.

But the option to purchase alcohol on every day of the fair is a change from last year when it only was available outside the Grand Hall at three ticketed Coliseum concerts.

Alcohol was banned at the fair in 1947 following a mass beer bottle littering incident. The prohibition remained in effect for 67 years until the General Assembly lifted it in 2014.

The theme of this year's fair, which runs from Aug. 5-21 in Indianapolis, is "Celebrating Indiana's Bicentennial."

The state fair recorded its fifth-highest total attendance last year with 907,342 fairgoers.

However, on an average daily attendance basis, the fair drew nearly 22,000 more guests each day during the 12-day 2004 fair compared to 2015.