With two weeks left to opening day, State Fair Hound will be posting a series of articles to get you ready for this year’s New York State Fair. A recent interview with Acting Director Troy Waffner and Fair public relations officer Dave Bullard was enlightening so there’s plenty of news to share.

If you like to take the tram to navigate the Fairgrounds, for instance, this year you’ll be transported without charge thanks to the sponsorship of Chevrolet. “They’re providing Chevy Silverados (pick-up trucks) to pull them,” Waffner told The Hound.

The charge to ride trams in previous years was two bucks a day and they had been towed by tractors. “They’re not going to be pulled by stinky, loud old tractors,” Bullard added. “At least we won’t have these big, open-wheeled tractors. This is so much better. “

There’s a month to go until opening day of the 2016 New York State Fair and the Fair website now features a listing of what’s new this year, what’s returning and, by omission, what’s not.

Preliminary indications are that several favorite food stands will be serving from new accommodations, some in new locations. But the good news for faithful customers is that it looks like Gianelli, King David’s, the Shamrock, Davoli’s, Whelan’s and Tully’s will all be feeding hungry Fair patrons. More on that later as the updated interactive food finder is released.

In terms of exhibits and entertainment, the Sea Lion Splash, Hawk Creek Birds of Prey, Cow Birthing Center, Harlem Wizards, Swifty Swine Racing Pigs, Bandaloni, Eudora Farm Petting Zoo, Sand Sculpture, log carver and Hilby will all be back.

State Fair Hound is on the trail of a few exciting new features coming in and will report soon on those.