It was a strange experience–visiting our beloved friend to find it oddly unfamiliar. But the 2021 New York State Fair hewed to the old adage and the show did indeed go on.
Attendance was low on the five-days-earlier opening day with overheated crowds finally admitted to the soggy Fairgrounds at the far-too-late time of 11 a.m. Unsurprisingly, long lines of patrons arrived hours prior to the designated time.
Once inside, the 2021 experience was bittersweet in numerous ways. Some events, exhibits and vendors were back and terrific as always, but others were missing. Visitors sometimes found closed or downsized areas where their traditional favorites had been.
For a second straight year, dedicated 4-H kids were left out of an event for which they put in a lot of hard work and preparation, so they paid a higher price than most of us. And the absence of farm animals left a huge void as empty barns were downright depressing.
The number of free-with-admission concerts presented was stunning, boosting attendance at times as the newly christened Chevy Park stage continued its impressive growth. But the much lower turnstile numbers significantly hurt the bottom line for many a Fair business, so before we complain about things we missed, let’s remember their pain.
Still, there was a lot to like about the Fair and the future holds great promise, starting with the unlimited potential of concerts and events at Chevy Park (more on that in an upcoming post on State Fair Hound), maximization of the Expo Center, the return of youth participation and livestock shows, more thrilling special events like the skydiving exhibition, continued excellence on the Wade Shows midway, strong re-emergence of significant vendors who skipped or downsized this year and fresh thinking from a new governor who may value customer input, leading to renewed fan enthusiasm and support.
Overall, the headline is that the New York State Fair went on without significant problems or troubling incidents, which is a shining tribute to Fair administration and workers, whose often-invisible contributions deserve our appreciation, especially in this difficult year. While the Fair serves primarily to entertain us, this unusual one also demonstrated that we will overcome the challenges of the past two years, due mainly to the spirit that led us to soldier on through the challenges of 2021.
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