Thanks to the ridiculous water monopoly policy, 
this price list from the New York State Fair potato stand shows the price for a bottle of tap water higher than that of juice, milk or soda.
Maybe it’s a good idea to submit a comment telling Fair management how you feel about it.
State Fair Hound readers may have felt a little deja vu when they read an editorial in Sunday’s Post-Standard about the traffic and parking issues that continue to plague the New York State Fair. 
Not only is the theme a familiar one in Hound posts, the P-S even included the following comment: “… the fair risks becoming the punchline of Yogi Berra’s joke: Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
You have read that before right here on Oct. 4, 2018 in a post titled “Was Yogi Right?”
It could be a coincidence, but either way, it’s good to keep the conversation going about how to make a trip to the State Fair less difficult on busy days.
As always, State Fair Hound has some ideas to share, so watch for that here in coming days and maybe later in the Post-Standard.
There’s a large body of water at either end of the New York State Fair and some very creative planning had both of them getting use by this year’s Fair patrons.
The venerable reflecting pool in front of the Horticulture Building looks pretty, but has been mostly wasted space in recent years. 
This year paddleboard yoga classes were held on the pond with an instructor leading small classes of health enthusiasts though a workout routine. It may have seemed like an outlandish idea for an festival famed for food, livestock, concerts and a massive midway, but people came out to try it. And early-arriving visitors came over to watch the rare spectacle.
Down at the opposite end of the grounds, 
the man-made Experience Pond–sometimes called a lagoon–became a venue for rowing a skiff brought in by the coalition of agencies that annually presents maritime exhibits and activities just off Broadway at water’s edge.
It’s a picturesque locale for staying afloat while gently paddling the waterway, getting a restful and unusual perspective from which to view the stage, stables, midway and Expo Center.
The 2019 New York State Fair provided a great balance of entertainment from the traditional and historic dance performances of the Iroquois to the relaxing pace of family fishing on the Experience pond. 
Both activities were free to enjoy.
Take it from The Hound; It’s tough to take notes at a concert in a relentless downpour. 
That was the case on day 8 of the New York State Fair when the versatile and red hot Mavericks played Chevy Court. The conditions were as awful as the band was dazzling.
The Post-Standard’s Jacob Pucci wrote a review praising the loyal audience that stuck around when it started to rain at the Roots show a few nights later and rightly so. It’s the true fans who brave lousy weather and that’s where Mavericks fans get top prize this year.
The three-decades-old Florida band included nine members, every one from the horn section to the squeezebox player, a standout musician. With Raul Malo’s inimitable vocals leading the way, the Mav’s didn’t speak many words, allowing their Latin-beat virtuosity and irresistible melodies do the talking as solo after solo kept the crowd cheering every thrilling note.
The poncho-clad fans in attendance may have questioned their sanity for dancing on muddy ground or keeping the beat between raindrops, but few left before the familiar strains of “All You Ever Do is Bring Me Down” faded and the band took their final bow, 80 minutes after they started.
What all this should tell Fair promoters is that Syracuse loves the Mavericks enough to bring them back in 2020, hoping they get better weather.
PETA has criticized the New York State Fair for staging an act featuring The Bears of Bearadise Ranch. State Fair Hound has long advocated for our Fair to take the lead in eliminating wild animal acts such as this one. To be honest, this act failed to measure up as entertainment anyway, so it wouldn’t be much of a loss. The K-9s in Flight dog show was much more enjoyable. A better show with no humane issues is clearly the right choice for future Fairs.
After 13 days of classic New York State Fair fun, everybody’s a little tired. 
Our naps will no doubt be filled with the images of candy apples, marching bands, dizzying rides, cuddly animals and dancing kids.
Unfortunately, sleep will be restless for those haunted by memories of traffic jams, parking woes, upset stomachs and sore feet.
As usual, there were some hits and some misses to consider as those wild 13 days pass. State Fair Hound has often heard those who run our State Fair say they prioritize customer satisfaction over attendance numbers and this year looked great on both counts.
No Fair is perfect, so there are always some complaints and criticisms and we’ll explore them all in the coming days. Growth can create growing pains and The Hound has some ideas to share, so check back often. The 2019 New York State Fair is over, but it’s never far from the minds of true believers. .
The sun is setting on the 2019 New York State Fair. Watch State Fair Hound in coming days for review, commentary and more exclusive photos from our own Nick LoPresti.
Monday is your last chance to see the completed sand sculpture in the New York State Fair Center of Progress. See if you can spot Toto (Hint: He’s not in this photo).
Labor organizations will be on the march Monday at the New York State Fair.
Unions are more powerful in our state than in most and they are an ever-present force at the Fair, manning many tables in the Center of Progress the entire 13 days to promote organized labor and pass out bags, pens and stickers. Since the Fair concludes on Labor Day annually, a parade around Chevy Court features marching union members with bands, banners and a few politicians.
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