Days at the NY State Fair.

The Great NY State Fair 

Syracuse, NY

(Over several days Aug/Sept 2015)

As a teen the NY state fair represents the END of summer, new school clothing (and sneakers that you had to wear to the fair despite how incredibly dirty they would get within an hour of walking around the fair), concerts, rides, FOOD, and one last chance at summer love. (because you know those carnies are HOT....(no of course not, and no I never did find end of the summer Fair love.) 

As an adult, I am slightly more practical about the clothing, I wear sweat proof, cool clothing and an old pair of sneakers, I am less likely to get on any rides, and my search for summer love stopped some several years ago....but all the rest has stayed the same.... CONCERTS...FOOD.....and I can't wait for the kids to go back to school. 

I have gone to the NY State fair nearly every year since I was about 5-6 when my family first moved to NY.
I personally can only tolerate the fair once maybe twice a season. This is not to say that I don't have a good time, its is simply the fact that things rarely change each year,
 Like all fairs, there are the rides, the "must have" new and improved squegie mop demo, the foods, the entertainment. It simply all just seems to be the same, BUT of course there are the MUST traditions, and this year did not fail. BELOW IS MY MUSTS FOR THE NY STATE FAIR.

On my first visit to the fair this year; I did my volunteer (as I do every year) for Vera House on Women's Day with Pat.

Me and Pat at the Vera House booth. (Gavin has the must have 25 cent cho. milk in the back).

Everyone MUST play a few games along the MID-WAY, and sometimes your little rubber balls line up to make an "I got it!!!" winner. Not this time however.

If your over the age of 21...you MUST get at least one WINE SLUSHIE!!!!

after a few wine slushies....and a little silly...you MUST check out a FREE concert at the Main Court...(the concerts have got to be the overall best reason to go to the fair....THEY have some of the best performers..BELOW is "SALT N PEPPER"- Kelly and I had great fun singing and dancing to this 80's band.

Kelly dancing to Salt n Pepper..."Ah Push it, Push it REAL good!"


On this visit to the fair, SNOOP DOG was scheduled to preform that evening. He CA...RUMOR had it a big GANG FIGHT was expected,....I think it had more to do with the fact there was to be no CHEEBA  smoked!!

I did hear although we were to far away to see and the CROWD was large to get any closer...(Pictured from afar) Fifth Harmony played!!! "Give it to me, I'm worth it!". (I'm not sure what they want given to them, but its a catchy song)

I can't recall this Bands name..but the KIDS went CRAZY for him! He is from one of the kid tv shows and now plays in a band with four other young hotties!

 I think the show is called...Austin and Allie

The tv show....I know that my son has watched it.

My Hubby and I had planned to stay ALL day and catch the Steve Miller Band...but we had both tapped out sometime around 3pm; several hours before the band was scheduled to play at 8pm. It was SOOOOO HOT!!! We were both having heat stroke and had walked the grounds three times over...another 5 hours was not gonna happen.
One thing is certain about The Fair,...for whatever reason it is ALWAYS HOT!!!

Gavin getting a cool down with the water blowing fans!

Speaking of good concerts...LOOK what I found in the NY STATE FAIR museum. One of the first concerts I ever went to.

I was 13 years old (just a year older then Gavin!!!) WOW!! My bestie Lynne and I lite sparklers (Something I am sure would have us arrested and locked up today.) and scored guitar picks from the lead guitar Paul!!!

Other past NY STATE FAIR shows I attended included; Bryan Adams, Aerosmith, Bad Company, REO, KC and the Sunshine Band and Def Leppard just to name a few that I can recall. 

When you have had enough Slushies....straight up wine is fine! I LOVE the BLUSH!! Or you can have a wine BOMB!!!

Years ago, the NY Wine tents sold their slushies in easy to carry 16 oz water type bottles....this made for a very DRUNK day!!! (Which is why I am sure they no longer do this).  One year they ONLY allowed wine/alcohol to be consumed under the wine tents. This made for a very DRY day! I think they have finally settled on an in between, Although I sure do wish you could get more for the buck then this little glass.

One thing you will always catch at the Fair is Characters....

Iron Man made an appearance....as did this incredibly cool flowering plant

This is a person on stilts 

These lovely ladies make an appearance or is it a disappearance... ?????

This silly looking playful guy...who had to be DYING inside the suit!!!


Even the Aliens want to make a trip to visit The NY State Fair!

....where else would Smokey the Bear be???

and hey we even found Ryan Seacrest!!!!

I sadly did not catch the MANY human characters( although I'm quite a character....WOW) You WILL find while visiting The NY State Fair!!! Let me just say with all due respect!!!! There are SURE SOME INTERESTING CHARACTERS out there at the Fair!
Some more MUSTS is a visit to the Butter Sculpture!!!

Every year is different.....

and while your in the Dairy Building visiting the Butter Sculpture you MUST grab yourself  a few 25 cent Milks at the Rainbow Milk Bar!!! (Best chocolate Milk ever!!!)

and I thought WINE was the official NY state beverage

another MUST, and a first for me this year was the Butterfly garden...

Mary and I enjoyed catching these guys on a sugar filled cotton swab. Soon they were hanging out on our bodies.

Pretty cool hun...

If you time it right...you can walk right into the daily 4pm parade,,,

Hay!!! no Corn....another Character!!!! I am SO CORNY!!!!

How about some TRACTORS...what would a Fair be without these big fellas???

and look at that a pretty pink one for the women who likes to accessorize.

Love it!!!

a little music as the Parade goes by too!!!

A visit to the New (It was my first) NY State Fair Museum...is one of my NEW MUSTS..



This little museum features the HISTORY of the NY State fair. It wasn't always held in Syracuse, and it wasn't always so richly inviting. I couldn't get over some of the outfits people would wear for a trip to the fair..Long sleeves, pantaloons, high necks and button up boots. (Should have taken a picture) IN THIS HEAT!!!!

Another Museum, which has been there for as long as I can remember is this history museum. All things NY settlers including this little log cabin. This is a nice place to get cooled off at, and usually not to crowded. Mark and I sat on a shaded bench outside and listened to music while we cooled down.



Another MUST is a visit to the Sand Sculpture...

Pretty AMAZING!!!!

I love these guys!!!

Don't forget about a MUST to the Indian Village (to be Politically correct) The Native American Village.


The purple flag featured above is the Five Native Nations surrounding the Area. Let me see if I can get the names. The Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, Seneca and Cayuga.


Inside one of the Long House's. I missed the Native American Dancers this year, but it is definitely a MUST see!


Hows about a little BREAK? This year I was able to attend The NY State fair with my lovely Mother in Law!!! A first for her in over 30 years!!



Well we had out drinks...now how about some EATS???

I'm gonna skip the Kangaroo, Shark and Gator on a stick...but I will say Hello to Tammy who happens to be working the booth!


and look there is one of the local politicians...I think its Al Schumer.

So maybe rare meats on a stick are not your thing..(mine either), but you have got to try the Defibrillator!!!!

or perhaps a deep fried ANYTHING!!!

Mary and I settled on something a little less lasting on the hips.

Philly steaks, and chips. (of course wine to wash it down) I had a turkey wrap on one of my visits, this amazing corn on the cob on another....ice cream to die for on another trip and another MUST, a NY GROWN BAKED potato.

The corn on the cob I paired with BBQ Pulled Pork Tator Tots. There was a contest for the best traveling food trucks!!! Both were delicious!!!

There are always the traditional Fair foods too; French fries, hot dogs, burgers, and Ginalli sausage,,,Which I may add I thrusted from my gal pals chocking throat one of the days we visited. Who would have thought those abdominal thrust lessons (Back when I was taught it was called the Hylemic remover. ) would have come in handy. Yes I am a HERO!!! I saved a life that day!! 

Of course DO NOT LEAVE without your share of Pizza FREATs (bummed we missed these this year too..DAMN diet!)

Okay...so I covered the foods, the drinks...the shows. ( failed to mention the RIDES) although I stay away from those mostly now a days, the Traditional MUSTS,,,now what else is a must for the NY State Fair....The ANIMALS of course....

For a much needed escape from the crowds, the heat and 99.9% chance you will find a place to sit and rest your feet...(YOUR FEET WILL HURT after a day of walking the fair pavement for hours...wear good shoes). oh yeah,,,,and drink your wine at a much less hurried pace, the Coliseum has horse show that run most of the days.

The cows are a MUST see too....These babies are so cute!

MOOO!!!

The Poultry Building was Poultry FREE this year!!! Yeah it had NO birds in it at ALL!! some kind of bird flu prevented the showing of these fun animals...I LOVE the tie dye fellas, No sight of them this year.

BUT lots of bunnies, which is just as nice and much softer too!

Pretty new to the Fair is the Pig Races.. I didn't get good pictures so I didn't insert them here, but I did get pickles the pig,,,and few real ones too.

Aren't these guys cute?

 These goats were looking for a little escape...."I've had enough of this..."

This little guy figured out how to get his head through the bars...

A few non-farm animals..this was a seal show..

And the apparently these birds do not get the bird flu...Birds of Prey,,,

So there you have it....I know I missed a whole lot more...but you really MUST visit for yourself to get the full effect. Its there every year...next time I will see ya possibly....in the mean time, just look at Hubbys face,. it says LETS go written all over it!!!! Despite the yearly SAMES of the NY State fair!!! I am pretty sure I will be back again next year!