INDIANAPOLIS – The longest-serving director in Indiana State Fair history is set to step down.

Cindy Hoye announced her two-decade run as executive director of the Indiana State Fair Commission would end effective March 31, 2026.

The commission oversees operations at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center as well as the Indiana State Fair.

Hoye, an Indianapolis native, started in 1988 as a marketing director. She became the executive director in 2004. Her tenure included more than $250 million in improvements to the fairgrounds and its facilities. She helped transform the State Fairgrounds into a year-round destination that hosts 400 events annually.

She’s credited with expanding the annual Indiana State Fair, which is one of the most celebrated in the country.

Hoye said serving

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