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.
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