The Great New York State Fair, Syracuse
The Great New York State Fair
It may be the glittering lights, the coasters or the promise of new memories that attracts thousands to the State Fair. Whatever your reason, there's a lot of fun in store. What started as a nod to the agricultural community in the 1800s has evolved into a colorful 12-day celebration of New York's outstanding food, entertainment and technology. So whether you're here for a cultural awakening or just to eat some fried Oreos, the Great New York State Fair will take you on a journey. Buy your tickets now! And enter the Great New York State Fair Trivia Contest for a chance to win a pair of tickets.
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3 Things you can't miss
Butter sculpture - Carved from hundreds of pounds of butter, this sculpture has been a fair must-see for years. Visit the Dairy Products Building to see hundreds of pounds of butter turned into art.
Sand sculpture - The amazing sand sculpture will return for a eighth year at the center of the Center of Progress Building. This year you can watch 180 tons of sand (that's 360,000 pounds) sculpted into a work of art by the people from Team Sandtastic!
Taste NY events & samples - Farm-to-fork cuisine is at the heart of Taste NY where free samples of food and beverage products are available daily in the Horticulture Building. Meet the people behind the products and learn from the experts with daily cooking demos presented by Taste NY and Wegmans Food Market. Find the full cooking schedule and event list here.
Day-by-day guide
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ay 1 - Wednesday 8/23: Preview Day | Governor's Day
A whole new day is added to the Fair this year--Preview Day gives you a sneak peak at rides, food and special events, all for $1 admission. Experience the opening day ceremonies as well as musical performances by Robert Randolph and The Family Band and 3 Doors Down. Find the full Chevy Court music line up here!
Day 2 - Thursday 8/24: $3 Thursdays
All day admission for only $3, that's a pretty sweet deal, right? Thanks to the fair's Three Dollar Thursday special, you'll enjoy attractions and live musicians without breaking your wallet! In the evening, rock out to a live performance by Chevelle at 8pm.
Day 3 - Friday 8/25: Pride Day
New Yorkers have a lot to be proud of. The only State Fair in the United States to host its own Pride Day, Friday is filled with annual, all-day events including the flag raising ceremony, LGBT choirs and parade. Jam out to live performances by The Fabulous Thunderbirds in the afternoon and experience rock ‘n’ roll legends in the evening when The Beach Boys take the stage.
Day 4 - Saturday 8/26
Use this weekend to explore all of the State Fair and be sure to catch some must-see attractions from Sand Sculpture to the Wildcat exhibit. At night, Symphoria will perform at Chevy Court.
Day 5 - Sunday 8/27: B.A.S.S. Nation “I FISH NY” Tournament
"I Fish New York,"will feature members of Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) chapters from across the state, competing for the biggest catch from 7 a.m. - 11 a.m. After, the action shifts to the new New York Experience area on the Fairgrounds for the official weigh-in and the crowning of the champion. Meantime, the Department of Environmental Conservation will host a free fishing experience from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the New York Experience Area pond. Kids of all ages and anglers of all skill sets are encouraged to join in on the fun! At night, Earth, Wind & Fire will bring their soulful R&B to the Chevy Court stage.
Day 6 - Monday 8/28: Midway Monday | Law Enforcement Day | Senior Citizen's Day
Midway Monday is the day for deals when you purchase a special wristband that gives you 10 rides for only $10! Use it to check out the new Broadway Skyliner (a ski lift-style ride that travels 1400 feet across the Midway)! And don't miss the Fair's first-ever water ride, White Water, a flume ride that take you down two water slides to a splash of cool water. In honor those in public service, Law Enforcement Day allows free admission to active and retired law enforcement personnel. Plus, any visitor age sixty and up will enjoy free admission with an ID that shows your birth date.So enjoy the rides and when you’re ready, head to Chevy Court for Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone at 2pm and a live performance by Kansas at 8pm.
Day 7 - Tuesday 8/29: Beef Day | Fire & Rescue Day | Senior Citizen’s Day
Celebrating New York's beef industry and farmers, Beef Day, will include the annual grill-off where local media personalities compete for the title of "Branding Iron Chef," followed by the always-tasty "Perfect Burger" competition. In honor of active and retired fire department members, this day will allow free admission with a valid department ID and commemorate those involved with a special ceremony in front of the Horticulture Building at 11am. In addition, those age sixty and up will enjoy free admission to the Fair. So come for the events, the food and live performance by The Marshall Tucker Band at 2pm and Daya at 8pm.
Day 8 - Wednesday 8/30: Women’s Day
100 years ago, women earned the right to vote in New York State. To celebrate this milestone, a special Women's Right exhibit will be open for the entirety of the Fair in the Art & Home Center. An exhibit celebrating the milestone will be open throughout the Fair in the Art & Home Center. The exhibit will feature the traveling panels of the New York State Museum's upcoming exhibit, "Votes For Women: Celebrating New York's Suffrage Centennial," along with panels profiling leaders of the suffrage movement. For events unique to Women's Day at the Fair, see the full schedule here and make sure you register for the Women’s Day Luncheon. At Chevy Court, singer-songwriter Taylor Dayne will take to the stage with signature hits like “Tell It to My Heart,” and at night, Bret Michaels takes the stage performing his rock 'n' roll hits.
Day 9 - Thursday 8/31: Armed Forces 
Day | Diary Day | $3 Thursday
Chocolate milk and thick shakes are, to any dairy-lover, the crème de la crème of beverages. And as the state's official drink, "Milk" is center stage on Dairy Day. Delicious events include the celebrity milkshake contest and iconic exhibits like the butter sculpture. But whether you’re a milk lover or not, this day is full of deals including $3 Thursday admission as well as free admission for active duty or military veteran personnel with a valid ID. Join the community in honoring our armed forces with ceremonies at the Veterans Memorial at 11am and the Special Day Parade atF 6pm. And make sure you're at Chevy Court to see Skid Row at 2pm and LeAnn Rimes at 8pm.
Day 10 - Friday 9/1: Six Nations Day | Student’s Day
In addition to a Special Day Parade in honor of Six Nations Day, all Native Americans will receive free admission to the fair. ID is not required, but the fair kindly asks that attendees enter through Gate 4 on this day. Plus, students age 18 and under receive free admission, an ID with date of birth may be requested at the gate. Chevy Court musical performers will be A Tribe Called Red at 2pm and Blue Öyster Cult at 8pm.
Day 11 - Saturday 9/2: Grange Day | Timber Sports & Forestry Day
Highlighting New York's forestry industry, this day begins with collegiate timber sports teams will compete in events like crosscut and bowsaw, axe throw, speed climbing and more. Additionally, Grange Day, celebrates rural communities and agriculture across NY State so come enjoy special events throughout the day! Plus, Saturday kicks off the two day Taste NY Food Truck Competition held all weekend from 10am to 7pm. Enjoy entrée-size samples for a small price from over 20 food trucks! For music, head to Chevy Court to hear DNCE, the dance-rock group headed by Joe Jonas, perform live at 8pm!
Day 12 - Sunday 9/3
Tasty BBQ, grilled PB&J and specialty treats--if you haven't experienced the Taste NY Food Truck Competition, do your taste buds a favor and go this year. Sunday marks the second day of the annual event where over 20 food trucks will bring snacks, samples and more to the State Fair. Dance off those tasty treats with live a music by the Spin Doctors in the afternoon and Migos in the evening at Chevy Court.
Day 13 - Monday 9/4: Labor Day | Summer Send Off “Dollar Day”
Happy Labor Day! The Summer Send Off "Dollar Day" makes the holiday that much sweeter with $1 adult admission all day. If you haven't had your dose of adrenaline, head to Wade Shows Midway jump on any ride for just $1. And if you're looking for bursts of color and music that night, you've come to the right place, the closing firework show and live musical performances will be the perfect send off to summer. Of course, the day isn't complete without a Chevy Court concert--so checkout UB40 and Kool & The Gang to finish off your summer!
