Wander-ful

There’s so much great entertainment at the New York State Fair that you don’t always have to go looking for a show. Sometimes the show comes to you.

Wandering entertainment frequently pops up as you stroll, sometimes near Chevy Court, along Restaurant Row, near the Coliseum or just about anywhere you walk.

Acrobats, stilt-walkers, the fabulous Hilby or the rockin’ Bandoloni may be about to start a performance, so stay alert for a chance to enjoy a free show. This year Rock-it the Robot and a strolling piano act join the touring show lineup.

Check your daily program or the Fair website if you want to increase your odds of catching a pop-up act.

Look Out Below

While soaring along on the Broadway SkyLiner or flying aloft on another ride, take the opportunity to look off in the distance over Fair territory and bey0nd to the surrounding countryside.

It’s an impressive sight, demonstrating how massive the Fair is and reminding that the Fairgrounds are wedged into a thriving community.

You may see factories, railroad tracks, hills, wooded areas and even houses in the distance.

Hang on as needed, but if possible take some photos while you’re soaring.

Crushing Candy Cravings

If you get a craving for sweets while wandering the New York State Fair, there are usually one or two tents that offer wide varieties of candy by the pound.

Hard candies, chewy nuggets, retro chocolate and plenty of other choices can be scooped up and weighed for customers to munch while walking or to take home.

Families with kids would likely find the sweet treats an economical way to buy for a crowd.

Where’s the Beef?

Celebrate beef day at the New York State Fair on Tuesday with a visit to the beef cattle pole barn. You’ll come away impressed with the muscular bovines in residence.

Check the Fair website for a wide-ranging schedule of cattle judging  that takes place in the center ring of the building.

Access is easy as trams stop just across the road.

Go West

Although the New York State Fair takes place at the edge of a northeastern city, one of the most popular types of souvenir items sold on the grounds has always been western wear.

For many years Buck’n’Bum was a mainstay, selling hats, boots, belts and clothing from tents erected just before the Fair started. While Buck rode off into the sunset some years ago, you still see vendors at every Fair hawking cowboy gear to tenderfoot customers.

Of course, sellers trying to link sales pitches to country acts playing the Fair have been short-changed recently as country shows have been few and far between. But there are still apparently enough shoppers to keep them in the saddle.

Sure, you can buy western goods on the internet, but you really need to try on boots and it’s fun to browse, so impulse sales drive a lot of the transactions completed.

High Point

After all of the recent changes to the infrastructure of the New York State Fair, one long term fixture of the skyline still looms above.

The fire tower that had been erected overlooking the State Park Nature Trail is now its only remnant. While the trail and neighboring log cabin have been converted for use by the State Police as part of its expanded exhibit space, the metal tower remains, most likely because it takes up little space and removal would be a major project.

As far as we know, the tower isn’t used for anything, but it’s nice to have an old landmark to remind of the days of the grandstand, racetrack and trackside lineup of food stands.

The view from the tower would no doubt be spectacular, but probably unsafe, so it remains locked up tight, still standing silent sentry after decades above the Fairgrounds.

Monday is Law Enforcement Day with active and retired police officers receiving free admission by showing their credentials at the gates. There will be a ceremony at Noon at the Veteran’s Memorial. Vintage police vehicles are on display in the State Trooper area, though they won’t roll on parade this year. There are often opportunities to pat a police horse in the nearby grassy yard.

An Ocean Away From Amazon

Shoppers on the lookout for unusual, exotic gifts or souvenirs may enjoy spending time browsing the Pan African Village. Clothes, jewelry, cosmetics and toys are heavily stocked under tents near the food stands.

If you’re looking for authenticity, you may want to inspect items for country of origin, but you’re certain to find some products that aren’t readily available at you neighborhood department store.

The village is a great place to start your holiday shopping or to find something to remind you of a great day at the New York State Fair.

Kitchen Views

Most of the food you buy at the New York State Fair is prepared within sight of customers and it can be almost as much fun to watch the creation as it is to eat it.

The speed and skill that these vendors have developed over years of traveling the carnival route make their work a real show, kind of a live action version of Carnival Eats.

Not only that, you may be able to gain some insight into how to make your favorite Fair cuisine at home, though you aren’t likely to have the specialized equipment the pros use.

But you really can fry dough at home.

What A Sap

One of the largest vendor exhibits at the New York State Fair is dedicated to the sweet and sticky sap that flows from New York’s state tree, the sugar maple, and all of the wonderful products made from it. The Empire State is a national leader in volume and quality of the popular natural sweetener.

The big corner stand in the Horticulture Building is maple central with ice cream, candy, popcorn, coffee and of course, gallons of syrup available to hungry Fair fans.

Displays cases exhibit the ribbon-winning products in several categories

Sand and Deliver

Everybody who makes the New York State Fair an annual ritual has a few traditional favorite exhibits they have to see before their day is complete. You’d have to believe that the remarkable sand sculpture, this year in the Expo Center, makes as many top ten lists as anything.

And why not? These skilled artists actually sculpt famous human faces–people you can actually recognize–out of sand. It’s unbelievable.

There always seems to be a crowd surrounding the mountain, taking photos or just gawking.

Be sure to walk completely around it. There’s always a surprise at every turn.

Hang Up and Hold On

The New York State Fair is in many ways a community, subject to the same trends as other communities across the Empire State and the nation.

So it’s no surprise that there are times that walking traffic on the midway, in the buildings and really anywhere on the grounds can be disrupted by a pedestrian staring at a cell phone.

For some reason, it can be especially annoying at the Fair, maybe because there’s so much to see by keeping your head up. And  bumping and jostling in the more crowded areas can be caused by a phone-obsessed walker blocking the flow of the crowd.

You can check your messages or catch up on the latest news anytime.

Stash your phone and enjoy your time marveling at the Fair.

No Reservations Needed

While there are plenty of stands serving food at the New York State Fair, the line of joints known affectionately as Restaurant Row holds a special place in the hearts and stomachs of veteran Fair patrons.

Part of the appeal is the varied menu boards that feature everything from sandwiches to pizza, seafood favorites to fried you-name-it. Then there’s the famous dishes that are synonymous with State Fair–the Potatoe O’Rielly, the London Broil, the kettle corn and, of course, the sausage smothered in peppers and onions.

Beyond the actual foods, there’s an ambience like no other, whether seated at a counter or gathering family around a picnic table. You eat your traditional Fair meal while watching a parade of walkers in the roadways that lead to the Coliseum and the livestock barns. Above the rooftops, rides whirl in the distance.

In past years, the destination for many hungry customers was Baker Chicken or Haddock Paddock, those departed classics now sadly missing with the stands demolished. But Basilio, P-Z-O’s, Bosco’s, Horan’s and several other stands remain, interspersed with temporary setups like Butcher Boys and Santillo’s.

The Danny D’s stand, historically the site of Tony’s Fine Food, also declined to return this year, its prime location at the beginning of the row now home to another favorite stand, Twin Trees.

Coast to Coast

Installation of the Broadway SkyLiner in 2017 has transformed the New York State Fair in several important ways.

First, it’s become one of the new trademark sights of the Fair. Along with the glorious rebuilt main gate, it takes its place among such iconic vistas as the colonnade and the Horticulture Building entrance as unmistakable State Fair landmarks. Every seasoned New Yorker thinks Fair when they see those sights.

Next, It’s become the centerpiece of the refreshed midway. Though it lacks the ornate artwork of the departed Wave Swinger, it has its own majestic beauty, especially at sunset. No matter where you walk on the midway, you’re never far from those sailing seats.

Not only is the SkyLiner an unmistakable symbol of the sprawling Fairgrounds, it provides a relaxing and inspiring way to go from end to end without the daunting hike. Concert patrons can enter  gates one or three, slide onto a ski lift-like seat and glide up to a show at the Experience Stage. Or, you can come in at the western entrance and take the overhead route back to Chevy Court.

Royal Treatment

You can meet actual royalty when you visit the New York State Fair Iroquois Village.

Though a blockhead like Rick Santorum may think there was nothing on this continent before his clueless ancestors arrived, ancient civilizations were thriving from coast to coast. Locally, the six-nation Haudenosaunee Confederacy had developed a sophisticated political system that set an example for the American system of representative government, though we’ve managed to screw it up pretty well.

The appearance of the Village Princess serves to remind us that the Iroquois still lead the way in their respect for women in leadership roles, clan mothers wielding significant authority among its people.

Diverse City

Salute the rainbow flag on Friday–Pride Day at the New York State Fair.

Special features and events are scheduled throughout the day. In previous years the culmination of Pride Day has been a diversity-themed parade, but not this year.

Also on day eight, 100 new Americans will be sworn in at Noon in the restaurant in the Art and Home Center.

Frankly Speaking

It takes a large team of engineers, mechanics, inspectors, operators and ticket sellers to make that show run day and night for 18 days. That Wades team is headed up by Frank Zaitshik, the personable owner/manager who oversees the entire operation.

If you see him on the grounds as you circulate, don’t hesitate to say hello. The bearded carny-master loves to meet fans of all ages.

Bow Flex

The archery range tucked into a corner of the Iroquois Village at the New York State Fair gives visitors a chance to learn the ancient skill of shooting arrows.

Friendly staff is on hand to provide tips (pun intended) and offer encouragement to all comers.

Though now it’s a sport, efficient use of a bow and arrow was a survival skill for Six Nations hunters dating back through centuries of the history of what is now New York.