Believe it or not, closing time on Saturday marks the halfway point of the 2021 New York State Fair.
The first-ever Fair to exceed 13 days was destined from the start to be historic, but timing and circumstances have required fans to accept some changes and omissions, challenging all of us to see this milk cup as half full. 
We surely need this event at this time to represent a return of treasured traditions and guilty pleasures that have made the run-up to Labor Day a burst of excitement, spurring creation of magical Fair memories.
Aside from simply swinging open the gates, the highlights of the first nine days have included skydivers landing on the New York Experience lawn, the return of muralist Arcy, who is painting a Woodstock-themed wall in the Expo Center, improvements that have made the Chevy Park stage a tremendous success, the premiere of several new food stands, an experimental return of strawberry milk at the milk bar and a few, largely unpopular, changes to Fair procedures.
The second half of this year’s Fair will include the arrival of horses and cows, more concerts (two by the fabulous Mavericks), 
daily performances by the inimitable Hilby, a Latino Festival and a climactic Labor Day fireworks show. Meanwhile, food vendors, Six-Nations dancers, diving dogs, gadget peddlers, high-flying acrobats, and midway entertainers have all hit their stride and are bracing themselves for a furious sprint to the closing weekend, hoping the holiday rush will bring out the biggest crowds.
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