A comment from a veteran observer, sniffed out recently by State Fair Hound, advanced an intriguing theory about the future of musical entertainment at the New York State Fair. He believes that soon major concerts will be relocated from the cozy confines of Chevrolet Court to the spacious pastures of the New York Experience area.

Considering how cramped and crowded Chevy Court becomes when a major act plays there, it’s an idea whose time may have come. The Experience stage was placed in a corner, facing a slightly-sloping open area that certainly has the potential for future development. There will be some planning and figuring needed before starting work on development into what would essentially become a festival grounds, but it could work out very nicely.

A temporary stage had to be erected for the Experience concerts, and they could continue to do that, at least in the short run. Prior to the renovation of the grounds, the Grandstand stage was built before every Fair and torn down prior to Labor Day for motorsport events and that was OK.

Another option would be for both stages to continue to host concerts without actually designating one as the primary venue. Really, what’s the point? Just book great acts and place them wherever makes sense at the time.

The Fair should really work on seating, technical support, amenities and patron transportation before going all in on the Experience Stage, but it could all work out.

It’s hard to believe that after all of the improvements made at the new York State Fairgrounds over the past few years, there’s still another structure that could be a candidate for massive renovation. The concrete racing stables, located near the New York Experience park at the western end of the grounds has State Fair leaders intrigued.

“There are some plans being floated to start to develop this part of the property  to make it tie in a little better,” Director Troy Waffner told State Fair Hound. “It’s a beautiful building. For not having had a lot of money put into it over the years, it’s structurally sound. The architecture is still strong, the foundation is still strong.”

Historically, the V-shaped complex was used by owners of harness racing horses competing on the grounds’ dirt track, especially during the glory days of the Syracuse Mile. With the track now a memory, needs have changed, though some horses are still stabled in the building under rental agreements.

If left to the imagination, it’s easy to think of possible uses for the stables, though extensive cleanup and remodeling would certainly be necessary. Proximity to the emerging prominence of the Experience Stage could come into play as a concert-support structure.

It could  remain a home for horses, replacing some of the dilapidated barns used by 4-H participants. Adding a visitors’ center would be a great way to attract horse enthusiasts, who are often banned from the main horse barn.

Maybe that end of the grounds could benefit from a building to host vendors, restaurants, exhibits or performance venues, though the Expo Center has filled a lot of that need. But any way you look at it, this structure very likely has a future as part of the Fair.

“If you add it up, it’s actually more square footage than our Exposition Center,” Waffner told The Hound. “The rotunda is absolutely beautiful.”

It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds in terms of renovating the stables to bring them into use as a bookend on the Fair’s western perimeter.

There wasn’t much about the 2018 New York State Fair that deserves complaint. It was a triumph, no doubt. But there’s never been a perfect state fair, here or anywhere else. Thus, State Fair Hound will offer constructive criticism and creative suggestions in hopes of inspiring discussion leading to an even better 2019 event.

The top complaint should be no surprise, as the Hound joins a chorus of boos in response to the State Fair’s water monopoly, mandated this year for the first time. Never mind that all bottled water cost two bucks, double the price commonly available at previous Fairs. It’s not about the money.

The policy requiring vendors to peddle Pepsi’s Aquafina “purified”  tap water at a set price betrayed the longstanding Fair free-market competition standard, setting a disturbing precedent. The remedy is exceedingly simple–cancel the policy and allow vendors and customers decide what to buy and how much to pay, especially when it comes to the most vital consumable sold on the grounds.

As always, Chevy Court had its ups and downs, big crowds and small. State Fair Hound would love to see the Fair dump Live Nation as promoter, confident that a more open-minded and knowledgeable agency, one less driven by corporate greed, would provide a better lineup, but don’t expect a change.

Regular readers have read enough complaints about the lack of country music at Chevy Court, so let’s dispense with another chorus of that refrain. But first, take note that Alabama played downstate at Tags during the Fair, on Aug. 26 with Diamond Rio, while both Alison Krauss (Sep. 9 at Turning Stone) and Sawyer Brown (Sep. 7 at Del Lago) played within a week of Labor Day. All four acts would have been great bookings for Chevy. Obviously, they were available in this area in the State Fair time frame. Did Live Nation try to book them?

Moving on, not really a complaint, but we should be excited about seeing the new Exposition Center used next Fair in ways that don’t require ice. The frozen events this year were a departure and a novelty, but once is enough. What else ya got?

Looking toward next Fair, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of Woodstock and celebrating that historic festival could be a knockout addition, especially combined with musical acts that revive the spirit, maybe a mini-fest right over on Experience Stage.

Speaking of that stage, here’s a radical suggestion. While strides were made this year to attract traffic to the western end of the grounds, those who made the trek to the developing area with its wide open green space realized that it’s a very long walk from the main gate and the Chevy Court area. Hot weather made it an unbearable hike. Trams alone do not provide enough transportation, not even close.

The Broadway Skyliner is a fun way to get there, but it costs five dollars, one way. Could there be a way to make the ski lift-style ride cheaper, even (gasp) free as a way to make the entire grounds more accessible? Or maybe there’s another option–some type of shuttle service. But it should be a priority.

The Family Fun Zone, which is the large, grassy area between the Expo Center and the Youth Building, hosted several acts, one of which was the Waterbarks Dogs show. While a performance with dogs diving into a pool of water sounds terrific, this particular show was pretty dull–too much of the people, not enough of the dogs. The Fair has hosted much better dog acts in past years and should seek one out for 2019. Overall, the FFZ is a great spot, loaded with free shows.

While the relocation of the sand sculpture to the Expo Center worked out great, the opportunity to utilize space it vacated in the Center of Progress was missed. The open floor area was used to bring in more vendors, labor unions and governmental agencies, which is OK, but it could be more.

That central location, just off Chevy Court, is prime space. How about bringing in an exhibit that could come to be as popular as the sand sculpture? The Empire State is home to major attractions–Baseball Hall of Fame, Corning Glass, Saratoga Race Track, the Erie Canal, New York City tourist sites and many others–that could install terrific entertainment.

With Troy Waffner now Director, expect more of the same when it comes to hard-working, friendly staff and consistent efforts to make a great Fair greater. The State can’t continue its spending spree after the millions of dollars it’s poured into the grounds, but the enormous attendance numbers speak for themselves. Building on that success means constant planning to keep our Fair moving into the future.

Viewers tuned in to Channel 9 News over the weekend may have heard a disconcerting comment from Governor Cuomo about the new York State Fair.  When asked for assurance that the new Exposition Center would be complete to open for this year, the Gov declined to guarantee an Aug. 22 ribbon cutting. Crews are working diligently to make it happen and State Fair Hound will join Cuomo in being “cautiously optimistic,” but be aware as you read future posts projecting use of the Expo Center at this year’s Fair, it isn’t a sure thing.

With 20 weeks to go to opening day of the 2018 New York State Fair, State Fair Hound starts the weekly countdown of photos from last year.

Dive into your pre-Fair planning by getting an early look at scheduled events, checking your calendar and budgeting some cash to spend during that magical baker’s dozen of summer days.

There are now 200 days to the opening of the 2018 New York State Fair. Snow still coats the Chevy Court turf, bone-chilling winds whip down the midway and there’s an icy coating on the posts that await the second running of the Broadway Sky Liner, but it’s encouraging to mark a turning point as we head toward 13 exhilarating days of Empire State fun.

The Fair celebrated the occasion by announcing a second act for the upcoming concert season, soul great Smokey Robinson. The falsetto master will play the evening of Aug. 27, following that day’s afternoon performance of Peter Noone and Herman’s Hermits, returning as a perennial Chevy Court favorite. 

Here’s another sure sign that the season is approaching–State Fair Hound is gently pressing the throttle, looking forward to our sixth Fair. The coming days will feature new posts, photos and commentary, gradually picking up the pace as melting snow gives way to warmer days and increasing anticipation of Aug. 22, now 200 days away.

The New York State Fair isn’t wasting any time preparing for next year. Ground has been broken for two highly anticipated projects, continuing the expansion and improvement of the Expo Center. Inside the grounds, space is being cleared for  the new exhibition building. It’s going up just past the western terminus of the Broadway Sky Liner.

Meanwhile, excavation of the Orange parking lot can be seen just off the Camillus Bypass. It’s scheduled to be paved and reorganized by next Fair (Orange and Blacktop, Oct. 17, 2o17).

The state has released the plan for renovation of the New York State Fair orange parking lot, the massive prairie that lies between I-690 and Onondaga Lake. The $27 million dollar upgrade plan calls for paving the entire lot, which is also used for concerts at the Lakeview Amphitheater.

As you’ve read previously on State Fair hound, a paved, lined version of the Big Orange not only makes it a smoother parking experience for motorists, it helps reduce congestion on the interstate by getting cars off the highway and into spaces quicker. Improved access ramps to and from the 65-acre lot are also in the works.

Additionally, the Fair estimates that thousands more cars will fit thanks to the organization that comes with a white-line grid, while better drainage will prevent loss of space to ponding of rainwater on the surface. Better lighting will be added, increasing the odds you can actually find your vehicle after a day on the grounds.

There’s an impressive rendering of the finished project on the Fair website, nysfair.ny.gov., under “press center.”

Projects at the New York State Fairgrounds are underway in several spots. The upgrade of the historic Iroquois Village continues as a new stage is being built for the traditional dancing performances.

On the midway, concrete foundation footers are being installed to accommodate the debut of the Sky Liner ride, a ski lift-type line carrying seated riders above the entire length of the lot.

Meanwhile, one thing that won’t change is the location of the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que stand, which will continue to anchor its corner of the Chevy Court square.