REGARDLESS of the heat or the humidity, there are a couple of real cool football players in Columbus this week.

Chinedum Ndukwe of the Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Thomas of the Cleveland Browns, are represented in the butter sculptures in a 45-degree display case at the Ohio State Fair, which runs through next Sunday.

Ndukwe and Thomas, however, aren’t alone. What would a butter football player do without a giant butter football?

The replicas of the players are being featured in order to draw attention to a school wellness program, sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the NFL. Aimed at reducing child obesity, it is geared to promote better nutrition and 60 minutes of activity a day.

Then, too, there are the butter cow and calf, which are traditions at the fair.

BUTTER sculptures, which were first introduced at the state fair during the early 1900s, are only part of the fair where competitions, displays, entertainment and other activities are under way.

Eating is one of the popular activities at the annual extravaganza in the nation’s capital, and there are all sorts of foods – even some that one might not expect. Pizza, lemon shakes and such are traditional fare, but a fairgoer also might like to try fried buckeyes and even chocolate-covered bacon.

Probably nobody’s palate is ignored as, according to reports, there’ll be more than 175 food vendors at the fair.

Many area residents might be especially interested in the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off planned Saturday. Wonder if this will indicate how large King Pumpkin will be this year in Barnesville or will Barnesville’s gigantic pumpkin squash the fair’s royal pumpkin?

Featured in the midway will be 65 rides, and there’ll be a variety of new events including National Wrestling Alliance matches.

In addition to professional entertainers, there’ll be music from the All-Ohio State Fair Band and the All-Ohio State Youth Choir.

RODGERS and Hammerstein didn’t know about the annual August activities in Columbus. but their words certainly are apt – “It’s the best state fair in our state.”