COLUMBUS — A butter display at the 2018 Ohio State Fair pays homage to a classic, Ohio-made movie.

Each year, the American Dairy Association Mideast chooses a butter display theme that honors Ohio’s history and culture. This year, it celebrates the 35th anniversary of the classic holiday film, “A Christmas Story,” which was filmed in Cleveland.

The display includes scenes from the movie, including the leg lamp, Ralphie in his snowsuit and in his rabbit costume, and the famous tongue-to-flagpole scene.

Every year, the theme incorporates a butter cow and a butter calf. This year, the butter calf gets in on the flag pole act.

The 2018 display was crafted by a group of five Ohio-based technical sculptors including lead sculptors Paul Brooke and Alex Balz, of Cincinnati, Tammy Buerk, of West Chester, Erin Swearingen, of Columbus and Matt Davidson, a dairy farmer from Sidney.

The butter display is a long-standing tradition of Ohio’s more than 2,200 dairy farm families. Each year, the theme of the butter display is one of the best kept secrets leading up to the fair.

The display is in the Dairy Products Building at the Ohio Expo Center, home of the Ohio State Fair. The outside of the building features a brand-new, hand-painted mural saluting those who are Undeniably Devoted to Dairy. This epic display of devotion, which spans approximately 58 feet in length and 14 feet in height, celebrates Ohio’s dairy farmers and their proud contributions to communities across the state.

While visiting the dairy building, fair visitors can also learn about how Ohio’s dairy farmers care for their cows, their land and their communities. The Dairy Products Building is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and offers a variety of Ohio-produced dairy foods including ice cream, milkshakes, cheese sandwiches and milk. The fair opens today and runs through Aug. 5.

The butter calf was incorporated into this year’s butter display theme at the Ohio State Fair. Someone must have “triple dog dared” her and Flick to stick their tongues to a pole.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/07/web1_2-flickcalf-copy-1.jpgThe butter calf was incorporated into this year’s butter display theme at the Ohio State Fair. Someone must have “triple dog dared” her and Flick to stick their tongues to a pole. Courtesy photos

Matt Davidson, of Sidney, works on the iconic American Dairy Association Mideast butter cow at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. He uses his knowledge as a dairy farmer to create the life-like butter sculpture.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/07/web1_91-mattcow-copy-1.jpgMatt Davidson, of Sidney, works on the iconic American Dairy Association Mideast butter cow at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. He uses his knowledge as a dairy farmer to create the life-like butter sculpture. Courtesy photos

The 35th anniversary of the classic holiday film, “A Christmas Story,” which was filmed in Cleveland, is honored in butter at the 2018 Ohio State Fair.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/07/web1_3-leglamp-1.jpgThe 35th anniversary of the classic holiday film, “A Christmas Story,” which was filmed in Cleveland, is honored in butter at the 2018 Ohio State Fair. Courtesy photos

Iconic scenes from the movie, “A Christmas Story,” include this one, sculpted in butter.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/07/web1_5-bunnysuit1-1.jpgIconic scenes from the movie, “A Christmas Story,” include this one, sculpted in butter. Courtesy photos