The ice rink is gone from the New York State Fair, but the Exposition Center is still cool, literally.

Now in its sophomore season, the massive building that hosted hockey and skating last year continues as home to “I Love NY” tourism exhibits, while also hosting turf sports events.

The sand sculpture has returned to its traditional home in the Center of Progress.

The new Christmas in August and family movie nights will also be held in the Arena.

Lots of seating, efficient air conditioning, modern rest rooms and Peppino’s Detroit-style pizza add to the reasons to stop in.

When you say “Native American” at the New York State Fair, chances are good that you mean the six nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, popularly called the Iroquois.

Of course, “Iroquois” is a French word for the allied nations–the Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas, Mohawks, Senecas and Tuscaroras–not the historically accurate term for the People of the Long House.

While the Fair has many fundamental characteristics, you can certainly say that it wouldn’t be our Fair without the indigenous inhabitants of our neighborhood. Every day they present native dancers, festooned in colorful and finely-detailed costumes, performing historically-significant and traditional dances on the turtle mound.

The bucolic serenity of the mini-reservation features home-cooked meals, prepared in the cook house surrounded by huts featuring Six- Nations crafts and exhibits. While you’re there, be sure to pick up a one-dollar bottle of water in the courtyard.

The Six Nations were here centuries before anyone called this part of the world “New York,” and it wouldn’t be the Fair without them.

The Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines will show off their stuff as the New York State Fair recognizes Armed Forces Day on Thursday.

The intimidating, high-tech weapons can be intoxicating to see, but don’t forget to contemplate the devastating affects of waging 21st century warfare, especially if you have children visiting with you.

A sober reminder of the costs of war will be part of the 11 a.m. ceremony in front of the monuments, engraved bricks and eternal flame in the designated Veteran’s Memorial area.

A parade starting at 6.m. will also honor vets and service members.

The venerable Agriculture Museum gets a lot of attention during the New York State Fair. Rightly so–it’s a real gem. But it’s little next-door neighbor–the Carriage Museum– is too often overlooked.

Many of the engineless vehicles on display there seemed to have been driven right out of vintage movies or from history books. There are many fascinating examples of wagons, carriages and buggies that were an indispensable part of mainstream American life before Henry Ford and his contemporaries revolutionized transportation.

The vintage chuckwagon presented by Cowboy Doug Corey adds a colorful and historic frontier dimension and there’s a working blacksmith shop in the back that features demonstrations throughout the Fair.

It’s free to visit and you’re likely to see pieces you won’t see anywhere else.

While many visitors to the New York State Fair focus on the excitement and explosiveness of the midway, concerts and sideshows, there’s much to be said for some of the quieter exhibits, like the annual art exhibition located on the second floor of the Art and Home Center.

Paintings, drawings, photos and sculptures are on display throughout the makeshift gallery, some displaying the ribbons won after judging of the show is completed.

While the Fair itself is a frequent subject of the artists, there’s plenty of portraits, wildlife depictions, still lifes and abstracts among the wide variety of pieces on display.

It’s a great spot to escape a rainy day, but weather aside, it’s a not-to-be-missed State Fair staple. Admission is free, of course.

It seems that the talented performers who roam the floorboards of the New York State Fair’s Empire Theater don’t get as much acclaim as they deserve.

The stage is low-profile as State Fair venues go, sequestered within the Art and Home center, seen only by those Fair visitors who look for it.

But it’s not a bad deal, usually free shows in a room with refreshing air conditioning and comfortable seats.

There are musical and dramatic shows, dancers and surprises. This year, hypnotist Marshal Manlove performs there every day at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The entire schedule is usually posted outside the theatre as well as being on the Fair website.

No big-name country stars will be playing on New York State Fair stages again this year, but at least fans can see a boat once owned by country Hall of Fame member Alan Jackson. The craft, a 1955 Cruiser called Flat Top is one of over a dozen antique boats that make up a dazzling new exhibit called the Mini-NYS Fair Maritime Museum, sponsored by New York Sea Grant, the Great New York State Fair, Boating Industries Association of Upstate New York, and H. Lee White Maritime Museum.

Among the rare crafts on display on the shore of the NY Experience pond are:

a 1913 Matthews High-Speed Runabout: Skanendowa renamed Golden Years, with original lights, instruments, hardware, copper gas tank, and Scripps 4 Cylinder engine still intact

a 1929 Chris-Craft Sedan: Topper, with a limousine top, likely displayed at the 1929 San Francisco Boat Show

a 1942 Mullins Steel Sea Eagle runabout: Steel Away, designed by Julias T. Herbst, with 5 floatation tanks that made it unsinkable

a 1948 Thompson TVT Lake Boat: Keuka Dew II, with a 1949  Evinrude Speedtwin motor

a 1950 Penn Yan Clipper: Challenger, with mahogany hull, oak gunwales and trim, spruce cockpit lining, bronze stem band; fully upholstered in Chinese Red Russialoid

a 1957 Penn Yan Swift: 12-foot wooden hull vessel built in Penn Yan, N.Y.

a 1965 McPherson Comet: 16-foot molded fiberglass sailboat built in Ithaca, N.Y.

a 1967 Evinrude Playmate runabout: donated by the family of the late Robert H. Wood, a World War II veteran and career education in New York State, for use as the New York Sea Grant Discover Clean and Safe Boating educational vessel

There will also be current-model boats representing modern hull and propulsion design, electric and propane-powered vessels, stern drive, traditional outboard motor drive, and a sailboat.

The boats are part of free exhibit that also features maritime artifacts and boating history displays. Check the Fair website for special events being held throughout the run of the Fair.

Animals from local shelters will be visiting the New York State Fair on Saturday and Sunday, looking for adoptive homes. Why take home a stuffed animal when you can change your life for the better by taking home a real cat or dog?

If you can’t adopt, at least stop by to pet and maybe make a contribution to the organizations devoted to homeless animals.

This adorable canine was roaming near the Chevy Court pavilion at last year’s adoption event.

The immensely popular New York State Fair sand sculpture has returned to the Center of Progress after a one-year appearance in the Expo Center. Day one visitors found Team Sandstastic busily carving images with a Wizard of Oz theme from mounds of damp sand. As always, they will finish their work within a few days, leaving their masterpiece in place for the remainder of the Fair.

Last Fair the most-asked question had to be “Where’s the sand sculpture.”

It may be again this year, but the answer has changed.

It’s back in CP.