Ny State fair

This is a great family experience and we try to go every year. Plan to bring water with you and maybe some small snacks if you have kids (especially picky eaters). Note that the ride bands are a great deal if your kids like to ride. The separate area for little kids has rides that can be fast and scary. Unfortunately, we bought our bands in advance, and our little one hated the rides (because the first one he went on went really fast and they wouldn’t let a parent ride with him.) That said, there is so much you can do without riding anything: there is a circus (timed, daily shows), a train the kids can walk through, a petty zoo tent, a big dinosaur show, farm animals to visit, and of course, the annual butter sculpture to ogle. There is also a butterfly room where you can feed the monarchs and they land on you (but you really have to watch young kids so they don’t crush them.) There are also concerts and lots of interesting food. Both for adults (like wine slushies and wine ice cream) and plenty of varieties of treats for all ages that don’t involve alcohol. Try to call or look in the local paper to see if there are any entry promotions. Kids are free to get in, but it can be frustrating when you buy online and then find out at the gate that you didn’t need to pay for that entry ticket. Also, there’s cheaper parking in the surrounding neighborhoods and it’s not much farther to park than in the lots.

We had a great time at the Fair. Lots of great food and drinks as well as great experiences.

Packed this year, but just as much fun as usual. Easy to spend a full day or two with lots of shows and things to see and animals. The free concerts in the evening are such an excellent bonus! Food is all VERY expensive, but that seems to be normal now at the fairs. All in all a great experience, can’t wait for next year!

Lots of cool animals, rides, and food. Recommend free petting zoo, exhibition center, and free concerts.

We had a blast as always, both our sons are younger in age and enjoy the unlimited rides with their wristbands. It is well worth the trip and the very cheap cost for endless fun. And you not forced to buy food from them you can bring your own…love it

First time going for me and my girlfriend . It was phenomenal! There's so so much to do there, rides for both adults and children , food of all types not just your typical fried food they have that yes but much more than just the basics, you got to try the alligator!!! I'll be honest I did not realize the actual size and scope of the ny state fair . For people that are undecided if the wristband pass is worth it for all the rides at $50 a pop it is very much worth it because of the unlimited ride pass I was able to save $100 myself on just ride credits. Overall a very good and exciting time at the 2025 ny state fair

It’s the state fair! Of course it’s gonna be a blast! $8 a ticket not bad at all considering everything to see and do. Sea lion show was cool. Sand sculptures, milk, cows, petting zoo, blooming onions, fried oreos, rides. Something for everything!

Super mediocre experience. Some of the food vendors were questionable, some really expensive, & some just plain disappointing. Any of the few better ones had crazy lines. There was a big lack of vendors of other kinds selling crafts or goods, mostly just the same stand with the same stuff duplicated about 8 times. I can't really speak for the rides. Bathrooms were the thing I was most impressed with because they were plentiful and clean & not long lines.

Deep fried ribs! Lawrence & Perry Barbeque @ NY State Fair. Cooked to order, tender, and meaty. Down home season/flavor and not greasy. Finger lickin' thicc bbq sauce. Deep Fried Ribs - (BBQ, Lemon Pepper, Sweet Chili, Jamaican Jerk, Carolina Mustard) www.lpquenc.com

And that's a wrap for 2025 NYState Fair! Wound up this year with $1 Hot Dogs and $6 Gianelli sausage with peppers and onions regular price $10 at West End! Great prices! Definitely will be visiting them next year, they have a tent across from the food for beer, wine slushies, and cocktails. Live music was all around this trip, while enjoying NY brewed IPA's! Ellicott Blueberry was my fav! Steak Sunday from Shake it up and The Thing to go on my way out from it's a Utica Thing!

All these years later and still an amazing time, amazing food choices and ANIMALS!!! PIGGYS AND COWS and so many things to do and see and buy and eat!!!! GO!!! YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!! Make the trip to Syracuse!!!

It's been a while since I've been to a state fair and I'd forgotten how there is a little of everything for everyone at these events. Exhibits, games, rides and tons of fried food are a given, sometimes there is a weird spin on the food but all in all, definitely intriguing. There are always a plethora of fried food at fairs, this was no different, fried oreos always get me started. I was told to get some alligator bites which may not have been the best choice, they were a little chewy. I did like the diversity in the options with Kdogs and lobster rolls making an appearance. The lobster roll for one was amazing which I never thought I'd say at a state fair. The strange BBQ meat sundaes posters definitely had me chuckling. Twenty five cent cups of milk from the tap, white or chocolate, was awesome. $2 mini ice cream cones were as well. Definitely a plus for the variety and quality of options in the food department. I skipped over many of the animal exhibits as I visited early and many were not yet open to the public. The state police lineup of cars was pretty cool, that 5.7 liter Camaro probably caught many speeders back in the day. I learned about maple syrup production in another exhibit. There was even a sea lion exhibit as well. The best exhibit at this fair had to be the dinosaur exhibit which even as an adult was awesome. Each of these dinosaurs was touchable and had movement, I had a couple of videos uploaded which showed how close you could get. There were so many and for the price of admission, definitely worth it. I'm sure the state fair can get crowded and I thankfully missed all of that by going on a weekday morning. Definitely reminded me of good times at other state fairs I've been to in the past and the NYS fair was definitely one of the best I've been to..

My second visit to the NYS Fair. FYI- This fair started in 1841! That's 184 years! There are plenty of things to see and something for everyone. I would say it takes me 2.5 days to visit the whole fair. This year it was $8 admission. Parking was $12; we purchase the parking online and that will speed up the process at the parking area. Pick the lot you plan to head for, some are longer walk and a long wait exiting duty to the traffic. The fair ground is huge so be prepare the walk a lot. Good shoes and hat will help. Get the map and plan you route with the events and entrainment happening around the fair. Impossible to see everything in one day. Must visit - NYS Lottery booth for a chance to win up to $50 $1 baked potato 25¢ cup of milk; regular, chocolate, strawberry (weekend only) Free tram that circle the ground (must do for first time visitors) Concerts; day and night Do book your hotel early for the best stay or you will have a difficult time because the August college visitors will be competing with you!

They don't call it the 'Great' New York State Fair for nothing! The Fair has been around since 1841 and takes place on the New York State Fairgrounds in the village of Solvay, right outside Syracuse. The site is well-served by highways, city buses, and an Amtrak station. It is one of the largest fairs in the US, attracting about one million visitors each year. Ticket prices have remained affordable over the years, with admission at $8 as of 2024. Attending the State Fair is an end-of-summer tradition, and I always have a great time. There are so many rides, exhibitions, attractions, and food and drink options that one day doesn't feel like enough to do it all (good thing the Fair runs for 13 days!). The New York State Fair does a great job of representing the diversity of the state, with both local specialties as well as cuisines from around the world, along with many cultural performances. The Indian Village of the Six Nations represents the Native people of Central New York. The food hall in the Indian Village serves traditional indigenous food and as an added bonus offers the best deal on a bottle of water at the Fair. Not surprisingly, for such a massive and long-running event, the logistics at the Fair are top-notch. The traffic and parking attendants do a great job of directing cars and preventing traffic jams. There are several entry gates, and I have never had to wait at security or at the entrance. Even on high turnout days, the Fair does not feel overwhelmingly crowded, and lines for rides remain reasonable. While the end of summer is always bittersweet, the New York State Fair turns it into a celebration worth cherishing each year.

My friend and I decided to make a spontaneous trip (planned chaotically the day before) to the New York State Fair on Labor Day, heading to Syracuse last minute - and boy, did we hit the traffic! Not surprising since it was the last day, but once we got there, it was totally worth it. For just around $8 admission, we were in, and for $37, we got ourselves the unlimited rides pass (note for newbies: don't get the unlimited pass! - get credits since rides are $1 on Labor Day, which we didn't know). The rides were so much fun, though I quickly realized that heights are NOT my thing. I get dizzy easily, but that just added to the adrenaline. You can't miss the iconic 25c milk. We tried both the chocolate and strawberry flavors, and I have to say, the strawberry milk was a total winner in my book - so refreshing! They also had a free phone charging station, which was such a thoughtful touch when you're out all day and your battery's on the brink of death. Like any fair, food was overpriced, but there were definitely some reasonable options if you looked around. We got to see some adorable animals - snakes, rabbits, and rodents, which were all equally cute. And when we needed a break, we chilled by the fountain, which was a perfect spot to relax. We caught some performances while sitting on the grass - it was so cool and laid-back, the perfect way to wind down from all the excitement. I'm honestly so sad I didn't know about this fair earlier in my college years, but I'll definitely be back for more in the future!

If you are an anxious person, do not go here. Also, Kathy, can we talk about how you don't allow cash ticket sales at the gate? Really? You don't take US currency at the state fair? Get real

Another great time at the NYS Fair. This time I went for the International Food Festival. Such a nice time. All different types of food to explore. I enjoyed the Jamaican jerk wings and the empanadas. Took home some baklava and spanakopita as well. On my way out I stopped by a spice stand and bought some ninja dust peanuts and almonds so good. All around great time.

What a time at the ny state fair! There is always great food here with lots of options of different items to choose from. Rides are safe. Staff is always so friendly and all the stands. The butterfly exhibit was BY FAR MY FAVORITE!!!! I could stay in there forever. See you next year NY state fair!

Amusement park? Check Food Festival? Check Farm? Check Museum? Check Circus? Check Shows? Check Exhibits? Check Friends invited us out to the state fair and I'll say, I was BLOWN AWAY!!!!! I did not expect the state fair to be this amazing, we wanted to go again the next day. Admission and parking is reasonable, and food is not bad! Tried the following food, and most things were delish!! - brisket plate for $20 - blooming onion (so good omg) - gyro (near the horse competition area, this was not great too oily and lacked flavor) - lemonade - BAKED POTATO!!!!! in the horticulture building There is so much to see and do, I can see why my friends come multiple days every year haha. Kiddos really enjoyed it too, definitely a hit for the whole family

More shade and tents for hot days Signs for directions List of events with their times and locations More fans or a/c

Wow ! Can't believe it has taken me 40 years to get to our state fair . I know State fairs tend to be larger/better than the county fairs I grew up with, but I'll list the 10 reasons why I was impressed with this one . 1. $6 admission now 2. $5 parking 3. Convenient to take an Amtrak train that drops you off right at the gate . 4. Free tram ride around the grounds 5. Many food and drink options are $3 or less (check out the potato booth for $1 potato with 50 cent toppings) 6. 25 cent samples of chocolate milk 7. Butter sculptures 8. Skyline ride 9. (Free) Charging station for phones 10. You can walk around the entire fair with alcohol (no designated areas) . Some beers are only $4! I plan on making this a yearly tradition

Specifically rating for Porkys food stand. $15 for a skimpy potion of beef brisket on a cheap bun. This was the biggest ripoff of the day. I don't know how there could be no standards for food at the fair. I understand that some options are expensive because of the venue but this wasn't worth 1/3 of the cost. Avoid Porkys or toss your $15 in the trash. Disgusting rip off

You really can't go wrong with the fair! $3 to park and $6/pp to enter. You can pay to park with ezpass. There's a shuttle bus if you park far and don't wanna walk that will bring you to the fairgrounds . Something for everyone! So many food choices, including healthy ones! Wine slushees everywhere. So many different kinds to chose from. Fried everything! Oreos, candy bars, bacon, etc. Prices for food was very reasonable. You'll definitely get your steps in walking around. You could spend a majority of your day here. The fair is always a good time!

The Great New York State Fair truly lives up to its name. Naturally held at the New York State Fairgrounds, this state fair is one of a kind and remarkable in both size and venue. I have been to plenty of "state" fairs across the nation, but none of which can level with the Great New York State Fair up to this point. Indeed, the fair serves as an iconic cultural event unique to the state of New York. This review begins with the location. Hosted by the city of Syracuse, the agricultural characteristics of the fair collide gracefully with the industrial footprint of the city presenting a beautiful collage of our nation's foundations. You can see the paths of these two drastically different livelihoods merge together in a symphony carefully orchestrated by the modern composer that is the New York State Fairground. The red-bricked mills and plants along the railway, stables and livestock pens surrounded by patches of green grass, and the modern architecture of the exposition centers clash perfectly together in this melting pot. Indeed, the fairground itself is a sight to behold especially when looking down upon it from the hills across the interstate. This aspect alone make visiting the fair worth it. All roads getting you to the venue derives from Interstate 81. Depending on whether you're coming from the northbound or southbound direction, you will be filtered into different lots scattered around the fairgrounds. The New York State Police manage the flow of traffic, while the access and parking into the actual lots are managed by the lot attendants. There is a $10 parking fee, which can be paid either with cash, credit card, or using the EZ pass in the respective lanes. Parking in the Orange B lot, it is a bit of a hike to the actual fairgrounds (requires you cross two pedestrian bridges). However, there are bus shuttles that will take patrons to the drop off point in front of the fairgrounds entry point. This will be an important consideration especially if you are travelling with kids, or with someone that requires wheelchair assistance. Paid admission to the park can be obtained either through pre-purchased tickets online, on-site kiosks, or an available QR code that is posted at parking lots and in vicinity of the fairgrounds. The fee is relatively inexpensive and nominal, which is another reason to visit this fair. The entrance is rather grand as you approach and enter through the fairground archways. Immediately, the immensity of the fair becomes apparent as the entrance opens up to a wide walkway straddled by the beautiful architecture of the fairground buildings on either side. There is no other fair that I have been to so far that compares in size and scope. Each of these buildings host a range of vendors, displays, exhibits, and sponsors. Indeed, it will be really difficult to explore the entirety of what is offered at the fair in just one day with the vast layout and amount of space the fair covers. There is a good variety of dining options available. In addition to the typical fair food (anything fried), you will find over a dozen unique ethnic cuisines (Italian, Chinese, Greek, Halal, Brazilian, African, Carribean, and many others). There is also a steakhouse at the fairground, along with other more permanent food vendors that will give you a culinary journey around the world. There are also plenty of alcohol that is served throughout the fairgrounds, serving local breweries, distilleries, and cideries as well. There are countless number of activities at the fair: carnival rides and games (these games also reward good quality prizes), circus, petting zoos, animal rides, static displays, merchandise vendors, museums, local agricultural exhibits, and countless others. Again, it will be hard to go through all of this in just one day. Overall, the Great New York State Fair is remarkable and a must!

If I could give this experience 0 stars I would. Upon the oceans of mass amounts of people, there are no clear signs of activities/different areas with different amenities. You walk around for hours not knowing where you're going, you can't even see the path in front of you due to the mass amounts of people, in the boiling heat. I have never seen so many people at once. I'm not even someone who gets bothered by crowds, this was absolutely unbearable. Finally found the chocolate strawberries I've been dying to try, and while waiting on line, a Hispanic woman working the booth (it was called fresh mex) next to the strawberries place picked a fight with me (a customer at the fair in line to buy food) saying I gave her a dirty look. Then when I finally got up to chocolate taps, I was so excited and hoping all the horror was maybe worth this moment. They handed me a cup full of strawberries with a drop of chocolate unlike the ones they were handing customers next to me and the comparable viral video ones. Then they acted like I was glutinous for asking for more when I paid $18 for it, and wanted what I paid for. I will never go back here. Stick to small town fairs.

To enter you do you need a credit card because they don't take cash three dollars per person five dollars to park but let me tell you it's worth it so many rides and so many different foods to choose from there's something for everybody you can walk around with your liquor if you'd like I have a soft drink Isis ice creams exotic foods like keto shark tons of animals to look at if you want to buy a bunny you can go on rides play the games win a prize if there's something for everybody there's even a milk bar a first for me. So make it a point to come down to the fair I only comes once a year and it's one of the best fairs in all of the Country.

Safe fun and educational for the family!! I've been going to the fair since I was a little girl, over 60 years. Loads of food and great live music!!

We always have a blast at the New York State fair. It's hard to say what I love better, is it the midway with all the fun games or the delicious food options or just seeing all those neat animals. This year we got to watch the llama limbo which was a blast. I always have to get the maple ice cream and the biggest corn dog I can find. Lots of fun things for kids to do so make sure you check it out.

I love the fair. I love going to the free concerts. I have seen so many great performances! Lainey Wilson, Niko Moon, Chicago, Neon Tree, Blue's Traveler, Karmin, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, and more. The .25 cent chocolate milk is always delicious. There have been so many fun shows, like diving shows, animals, etc., to watch in the past. We enjoy seeing all of the animals, eating lots of tasty food, etc. This would be 5 star review for the FAIR. But I had a nightmare experience with their parking yesterday. There's this new Willis parking area?! 0/10 would NOT recommend. For some reason they decided to close the orange lot and direct us to the Willis parking lot. I asked one of the officers directing traffic and he said the orange lot was not full and he didn't know why they were redirecting. This was HORRIBLE. I was in traffic for an HOUR just to this parking lot. As I was waiting in traffic to get to that parking lot, I saw them open the orange lot again! Meanwhile, after waiting in traffic for an hour off the exit, we got to this dusty, bumpy, poorly organized parking lot. The line for the bus was disorganized and people were cutting in line left and right. There appeared to be no one working for the fair there to organize the situation. Then we stood there for 25 minutes without seeing a single bus! (You also cannot walk from this parking lot, there are signs everywhere to tell you that.) It was 1 1/2 hours from off the exit til I got off the bus and into the fair. And I had to pay $10.37 for this?? Not a fan. Will NEVER park in that lot again. (Also, the signs at the front of the parking lot say that it is only to be used on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Labor Day. So why was it being used on a Thursday??)

Great food, nice attractions, and plenty of amusement rides and games . Fairgrounds are super spacious with plenty of parking.

We have attended many times as a family over the years. most recently my cousin and I saw Lainey Wilson (free with admission) we got there early and were seated in the main part of the venue which was great. My 4 year old tends to be done after 2-3 hours so the main highlights are the butter sculpture, fair food, seeing the animals (FFA/4-H), and the air tram. if you like Maple you can find soft serve and cotton candy in one of the buildings. We moved from Oregon and this fair is about two times as big. This year there was a dinosaur exhibit that the kids enjoyed. A yearly tradition for us! Buy parking and admission in advance for a smooth entry.

We love the fair!! There's so many wonderful things to find here! My favorite is to stop at Three Brothers for a wine slushee and head to the dairy building for milk bar and a hot beef sundae! Rides Variety of food and drinks Friends Music Culture all right here at the great New York State Fair!

Best fair ever....wait. I did not post pics... Okay,lol I have used Babes phone. I'll catch up, but this fair was amazing. I still have a milk token.

Second time visitor, first time reviewer. I always love a state fair that writes articles about new food experiences, and this year they did us all a favor and dropped admission price to $5 parking + $3 entry. Welcome back present! Other than food, my favorite parts of the fair are the extensive animal barns and the NY State government exhibits - picked up a water bottle and tote bag this time around. So, on to the part that you're all waiting for, the food. You see the photos, but what of each dish and vendor? In star order: * 0 stars: Babcia's Pierogi, Poutine Gourmet - Both closed when I got to the food hall. The only two places that were closed, both next to each other, and I was going to get special poutine at both of them. I would have spent all my money there. Instead they get nothing and I get nothing. Sad. * 3 stars: Fried Specialties. The first thing I got in the fair was the Heart Failure, "a Hofmann hot dog wrapped in bacon deep-fried until it's crispy, served between a Twinkie topped with peanut butter sauce, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits." It sounds like 5 stars, but it ended up tasting like a hot dog - albeit a bacon wrapped one - in peanut butter sauce. Didn't notice the Twinkie, didn't notice the cheese at all, and the bacon wrapping the hot dog wasn't really crispy. Gotta remember to skip the trucks that can't spell chocoloate. * 3.5 stars: Nancy's Fried Dough. The second place I visited was a small step up. I got the deep-fried cheesecake chimichanga, which was just a rolled version of a deep-friend cheesecake. You get two to split with a friend, and you can get it topped with ice cream for $3 more. Given that the sauces they offer on top are all Smuckers or Hersheys, I assume the ice cream is generic corporate brand also. It was at least cheaper than other trucks, but the food, while tasty, was generic. * 4 stars: Porky's Pork Palace. I got the BBQ Sundae because it was a bit smaller than the BBQ Split, half as much money and I wanted to fit other venues in my stomach. It's good NY style BBQ, but that means it's not southern style, but not like I expect otherwise in NY... I recommend against the sundae format because it forces you to eat each item in the layer they put it in. I had to wade through several bites of cole slaw to get to the meat, and I ended up with a bunch of cornbread (powder) at the bottom. Splurge on the split and _split_ it with a friend. * 4.5 stars: Toss N Fire. An actual food truck at the event instead of a pop-up stand, this place offers a bunch of strange personal-size pizzas. The poutine pizza, because what else would I get, was a cheese pie with no tomato sauce, and then it's finished at the very end with fries, cheese curds, and gravy so that the curds stay whole. I love the concept, but the curds weren't that fresh (no squeak) and the gravy was fairly runny so it just soaked into the fries. It was a salty, delicious mess and I couldn't even finish it because it was my last meal of the day, but I wanted to so badly. I don't think I'll ever eat poutine pizza again, but I crossed one off my bucket list today. * 5 stars: It's a Utica Thing. Flawless execution on the EVERYthing! Sandwich. The bread is Utica tomato pie, the "meat" is Utica chicken riggies (though I caught a piece of yummy sausage falling out of my sandwich), and the "sauce" is Utica greens. The restaurant and the sandwich both live up to their name, and whoa was this an amazing item. The tomato pie is delicious, and this is coming from an NYC area pizza snob. The riggies are outstanding. These are the best Utica greens I've ever tasted by a wide margin. It came together flawlessly and while the sandwich was a bit messy, it was huge and I wouldn't let anyone else touch it for a sample. As soon as I had my third item of the day, I declared that I had found the benchmark to compare all other foods to, which is why you'll be impressed with: * 5.5 stars: Oh My Darling. Oh My Goodness. First of all, they have two tents, and one of them is for alcohol. So necessary at the state fair. At the food tent, get the chicken & waffles. I said it "looks special" and added this to my "must eat" list despite it being a basic dish. Well, Let Me Tell You Something. I asked the young cashier if I could add pimento cheese on top. She seemed confused, asked the manager what to do, and rang up a couple dollar charge for it. They handed over the chicken & waffles with an absolute slathering of pimento cheese all over the plate. I want to break this down because I keep running over it in my head. 1) Waffle base. Just one, I wish there were two waffles because it was crisp outside, tender throughout, very tasty, and a nice complement to the 2) fried chicken. There were two entire pieces! It was HUGE. And covered in 3) hot honey sauce. Actual heat detected. Love. And then 4) giant amounts of delectable pimento CHEESE. Must. Eat. Every. Day. Forever. And that's a wrap! Bring the kids, there's stuff for all ages here.

Love this place! It's one of the best places to go at the end of the summer in CNY. They have great rides, food, shows, concerts, etc. You will always be entertained by coming here. You can walk through the midway. Sit (/dance) through a concert. Watch infomercials. See local dancers. And so much more! I'll definitely keep coming back here!

It's fun a lot to see and do it's so amazing and we are def blessed to have this every year the entertainment is outstanding the butter sculpt the milk the potatoes the everything !

As a WNYer, growing up my only experience with fairs were the small local county fairs, the largest being the Erie County Fair. Going to college in Syracuse, I went to the NYS Fair for the first time, but hadn't been back in 10 years, until this summer when I decided to take my husband for the first time. Pros: -the Dairy Building is my favorite part, 25 cent cups of ice cold milk! I was sure the price had gone up in 10 years, but was pleasantly surprised to find out Tully's sponsors it to keep it at 25 cents a cup. Always an impressive butter sculpture and tons of ice cream, milk and cookies and other dairy dishes. -Cost. We came on a Sunday, and it was $1 admission! I tend to compare fairs to the Erie County one, and while they have special admission days too, it is always a week day, or before like 10 or 11 AM. Sunday $1 admission all day? That is awesome. I didn't look into how often they have reduced prices, but 2 thumbs up for making it accessible to everyone. -The sand sculpture is always impressive as well. This year it was wizard of oz themed and Apollo 11 on the reverse side. -Food choices, from typical fair faire to local favorites like chicken riggies and Dinosaur BBQ they have something for everyone. -Lots of rides, from a portable roller coaster to cable cars they have a huge selection! Can't say anything about price as we didn't go on any or look into it that much. -Lots of vendors and an awesome opportunity for people watching! -Great concerts. We didn't plan early enough to go this year, but in college I saw Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift. -All the animals! Cons: -The main disappointment was in the shows. While maybe I shouldn't compare everything to the Erie County Fair my husband and I really enjoy seeing all of the wonderful free shows they have from extreme trampoline artists, to Chinese acrobats, to the Cirque shows, to mind readers. We didn't find that here though. Sure they had the NYS Troopers do a demonstration, and maybe one or two other things but that was definitely disappointing, maybe it's just too big for all that? Overall we had a great time, and would highly recommend for anyone who can easily make a day trip out of it.

The fair itself is entertaining but the food vendors have ruined this experience. Most booths offer a sandwich for 15-16 dollars I literally got a hamburger bun with a few pieces of brisket on it with nothing else cost 16 dollars. will never purchase food there again ridiculous and are taking advantage of the patrons!

The state fair is always a good time. We went for a concert and food. We tried wine slushies, chicken riggie pizza, fried peach pie and sirloin tips. There's a great selection of unique and tasty foods. I love trying 1911s drink creations every year too. This year traffic wasn't too bad and parking was easy and cheap. I only wish we had more time to get to see all the animals. I'm looking forward to next year!

The NYS fair is foodie heaven. On this particular day I was able to go back to some loved establishments from the past. #1 stop is always Peacheys! They have the best doughnuts and pretzels! This year they had the coconut cream doughnut, it was so very tasty, but I wish we had more people to share with since it was so big. #2 stop is always pickle barrel sirloin tips. I tend to get them with the mashed potatoes and onions but no mushrooms (but those are available there). #3 which I finally got back to because the line was short, was the baked potato from the horticulture building. I added bacon and cheese so it brought the cost to a whopping $2!And last but certainly not least was #4 the bold coast lobster Connecticut lobster roll! All great dishes, some a little pricey, but then again this fair comes around once a year so it's well worth it! And seriously as long as you can have dairy, you always need to stop for an ice cold glass of fresh milk from the dairy building.

The fair can be physically overwhelming on a hot summer day. You won't get to everything. I'll simplify this down to two must-visits (or three if you're going to see ZZ Top on Saturday). The half chicken dinner at Baker's Chicken Coop is spectacular, offering the "Cornell Chicken" invented by Robert Baker in the 1940s. You should also check the dairy products building, where the treats include cheesecake on a stick, and cups of regular or chocolate milk for 25 cents each. There is where you'll find the legendary butter sculpture. Transportation-wise, I've always shied away from driving. I've been pleased with the Centro bus service ($4 round trip) from the Destiny USA mall park and ride. There are several bus routes but the Destiny USA one seems relatively painless.

As a family we always look forward to the NYS fair! Great food, tons of family fun, rides, games, vendors! There's truly something for everyone at the fair

This is my first time here and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Thank God it was a high of 72 degrees today - this joint is huge and I probably would've been horrible company on an 85 degree day with humidity. Highlight of my trip: butterfly feeding ($2); the Pan-African section and focus on African American history as well as culture; attendants in every restroom (one behalf of all women, THANK YOU ); and the Indian Village. Deltas: troopers on horses with no poop bags. Although many of the activities are free or reasonably priced, if you're coming with kids your pockets will bleeeeeeed. The wristbands for rides? The cost per game? Sheesh! I'm an old fart so I don't want to get on the rides or play any games - at least not this year. Overall this was a great time and we're already planning to attend next year and stay for two days to get the whole experience.

Young and old will find something to enjoy at the fair, there's the farm animals, fantastic foods, rides, games of chance and shopping with unique vendors not to be missed.Theres also free concerts with top artists included in the admission price, some top name acts I have seen in the past include Culture Club, Styx, The Spin Doctors, Richard Marx and the Oak Ridge Boys.

There's so much to see and do at the fair.For the adventurous there's the rides.For those that feel lucky you can try one of the many games or buy some lotto tickets in the lotto building.So many beautiful animals to go and visit and maybe learn something new about.Let's not forget about the fantastic smells at the fair coming from all the delicious foods there is to try including fried dough, waffles, kettle corn, fries, pizza and the wine stations.The highlight for me are the free concerts in the Chevy court with big name stars that I have seen including Styx, Culture Club, Spin Doctors and Shelia E, all fantastic concerts.

I've gone to the Great New York State fair 3 times now. I usually spend the whole day there and the time does go by quickly. It's a day to enjoy the food, rides, games, concerts, animals and there large amount of vendors. There is something for everyone at the fair. This past year was more spread out then previous years but I always feel like I've missed something. There are so many buildings to enter and view different exhibitions and so many vendors. I never make it through everything in a day. I enjoy coming every couple of years and walking around having my wine slushy or beer and very unhealthy fair food that taste delicious. It's definitely an experience everyone should at least try once in there life.

Attended the State Fair this year as I have many times in the past and had an excellent time. The list of Free Concerts this year was excellent. I came with my Father who was so excited to see Air Supply and they put on a great show. Get to the free shows in the afternoon at least 1 hour early and night shows at least 1.5 hr early to get a seat. It was almost 100 degrees the day we came and it was so refreshing to see that bottles of water most places were only $1. My Husband got a pulled pork sandwich and 2 sides for only $9 at Dinosaur BBQ and My Father had a Philly cheesesteak with huge refillable soda for $15. I really felt that the Fair tried to keep the costs down. They had numerous options for wine slushies and moonshine slushies and they were cheap! I recommend trying many :) I got a Blackberry Sangria with included Koozie for $4. There was an excellent State Police presence and it felt like a very safe and controlled atmosphere. Recommendations for next year if you are going: 1. Get there early (When gates open) and parking is much easier! 2. They also sold pre-sale tickets for $4 dollars less prior to the fair starting at a few locations such as Wegmans. 3. Remember your sun screen 4. Bring Cash, It's easier. Although many places still took Cards

After COVID-19 and with extra unemployment from Federal government, many vendors were unable to pay for the now extended 18 day Fair and find workers to staff their spots from 11am to 10pm. This resulted in a very empty Fair, with a few new vendors, who I hope return as their fare was tasty and it is refreshing to have new foods and drinks as well as vendors with things to sell. Some past vendors put fresh items in the menu just for the fair, which entices us to visit them even when we have had their items. I feel there may have been at least a few more vendors if there had been a discounted rate give. The circumstances we have all dealt with in the past year and continue to have issues around, not the least of which being the Delta variant. We traditionally go every year and found the majority of people were complying with masking in buildings. I had the chance to try two places I had not yet been to and now am looking forward to patronizing after the fair. Will be nice when more photo spots are back and activities are taking place again.

The NY State Fair is something I look forward to all year long. Each year there are some of the favorites and then new changes. In recent years there has been many changes, most for the better, including the new Empire Expo Center. There are so many things to see and do it is really difficult to accomplish in just one day. Tickets are inexpensive and often there are special deals such as pre-purchase or deal days with free entry for seniors, veterans, police, fire, and more. Their website is the best resource to find what is going on each day. Their are theme days such as Dairy Day, Law Enforcement, Fire Day, Native American Day, and more. There are a handful of buildings with something different in each one. The center of progress building has many vendors and some NYS public information booths. The Horticulture building has all kinds of cool science stuff such as maple sugar farmer goodies, flower exhibits, the $1 baked potato, bees, and more. The State Police visit is a must see with all kind of cool demonstration shows such as the Dog show! The dairy building has the Butter sculpture which changes every year as well as cheese sampling and more dairy goodies. Checkout the cow, horse, sheep/swine, and poultry barns to see the finest animals NYS has to offer. The coliseum is a great place to take a load off and watch some top notch horse show performances. The New expo center has a huge ice rink showcasing skating, hockey, and more. The I love NY exhibit has also been moved to this location along with the free tree seedling giveaways each day and the sand castle. Dont forget to stop by the Native American Village to see some traditional crafts, dancing, food, and a real Iroquois long house. A few more favorites are the State Park at the State Fair, the Veterinary Hall of Health, all the great outdoor food vendors, the daily parade at 6pm, and Chevy court which is home to many big name free concerts throughout the fair. Food favorites: the $1 baked potato, Dinosaur BBQ, Maple Sugar Slushies, 25 cent chocolate milk, Byrne dairy soft serve, and Gianelli sausage.

Truly a wonderful fair. Its always a great experience. I could swear, as the years go on - things do get a bit smaller and less; Nonetheless - they have tons of really cool things - exhibits and vendors to check out. Truthfully - the food could be better. Definitely a safe experience; I honestly like to visit the fair - every year; if possible. The Fair is extremely well run and organized. Its a very safe and family oriented environment. Tons of Security - so no boo boo heads to screw things up.

My husband and I took our 11 yr old grand daughter to the fair on Monday Aug 28th. Although we had fun, we thought it was outrageously expensive. Food was so expensive, games were unbelievable, $10 to play 1 game. A small lemonade was $5. These prices push out the average American and poorer families from visiting the fair at all. I remember going with my family and spending the day seeing everything. In today's economy it would be impossible for families to do this. Sadly it has become 1 more thing to discriminate against poor people. Very sad

This is the first five star rating I have ever given. As far as fairs go this is the best one I have ever been to. The food, the drinks, the sand sculpture, the butter sculpture,the bands and the people all make this fair the thing I look forward to at the end of summer. I always go two or three times because I can't get it all done in one day. The bacon bomb sandwich and the gyros were what I was after this year. The girls got the tipsy cow drink at the Beak & Skiff tent. They called it adult chocolate milk I took a taste and it was delicious. I had the Bloody Mary with the 1911 vodka it was also very good. I really enjoy the horse show when they are doing draft horse teams. If you have never been please check it out. Got to see Ludicrous last Friday that was free. Yes free. They always have acts for free at the fair that blow my mind. If you are one of the people that I talk to that say"I should really check out the NY State Fair" but yet you still haven't. Stop waiting go next year. It's worth it.

The Great New York State Fair is a must-do, at least once, if you're in the vicinity of Syracuse (the week leading up to Labor Day every year.) Apparently, it was the first state fair in the country, which is pretty neat. The fairgrounds themselves are massive, and there's tons to do- lots of attractions and entertainment (including free concerts,) tons of food, not to mention the agriculture elements the fair was founded to showcase. I like roaming the livestock buildings and looking at the animals (petting the bunnies is my favorite.) the butterfly tent is another cheap, interactive way to pass time inside. In the dairy building, you can get milk or chocolate milk for $0.25 if you're willing to stick out the always long line- if not, you can still grab a decently priced milkshake made from fresh, local milk & ice cream. When feeling overheated or overstimulated, you can retreat to the fountain/pond in the center of the grounds to relax. The fair can get quite crowded, especially on dollar days, so don't expect to have much personal space. Parking is an absolute nightmare (and traffic is always heavy on fair days,) but it seems like the city is slowly adapting to/ accommodating the record-breaking attendance numbers. The best part of the whole affair is that it manages to cater to almost everyone's taste in some way or another. Kids or adults, vegetarian or carnivore, drinker (hello wine slushees!) or dry, thrill seeker or take, there's something at the fair everyone can enjoy.

This is the ultimate fair of fairs! I first heard about this place on Food Network, an episode of Carnival Eats was describing all kinds of awesome foods available and it was on my bucket list to come this summer. I love going to fairs, every year I attend at least 2 or 3 small events in my home town or across the border (NY, VT) so I knew I was ready for something grand. After months of anticipation and preparation, we finally got here and it was everything I hoped and dreamt of. I tried doing lots of research before coming, looked up the vendors, read reviews, printed maps and when I arrived, I figured it may be easier to just walk up and down every alley and see everything there is to see. We came on Sunday Sept 2nd 2017 which was a rainy day- both a blessing and a curse. We got here early enough to get the 10$ parking right across the entrance (2 min walk yay!) and were able to move around everywhere without a fear of big crowds or line ups. We don't do rides, but if you plan to, it's definitely worth it to come on a rainy day as there aren't any line ups. Only downfall was the cold, and that we got wet, even with ponchos. This place is so massive, if you aren't a great walker and are visiting with a couple people, it may be worth it to rent a scooter. For 60$ a day (available near the entrance, or you can book in advance online), this is a very comfortable and convenient way to visit the grounds. You can take turns riding it when you're too tired and the basket in the front is great for holding all your belongings. Impressively, almost every area of the fair is wheelchair accessible, so you can ride all over the place and inside all the buildings too. Otherwise, just make sure to wear comfortable shoes, your feet get dirty so wear old sneakers, in my case, Crocs are ideal. Bring a big hat, sunscreen, or poncho in case of rain. We noticed many booths giving away free ponchos though. There are so many pavillions and booths with all kinds of stuff to visit, it becomes kind of overwhelming but it is manageable. My favorite area was probably near the Chevy Court, with all the food trucks and stands, and the dairy pavillion which had the awesome butter sculpture and best food. I got to try the famous hot beef sundae there, the 25cent milk (man that chocolate milk is GOOD) as well as the Milky Buns which was my favorite fair food ever. So simple yet awesome, it's basically a donut ice cream sandwich. You choose your own ice cream and whatever toppings you want. I got cotton candy, bubble gum and marshmallow ice cream inside the donut topped off with gooey glaze. *drools* There are of course SO many food vendors available. I recommend strolling around back and forth before you decide on settling, that is, if you have a small appetite. Wine slushies seem to be a big hit here, so you'll find many stalls- Many of then offer free samples which can help your decision. There are tons of rides for all ages, family friendly shows even a big top circus- Unfortunately we didn't get to attend any of the scheduled events as we preferred wandering around the site. However if you plan on coming more than 1 day, it would be easier to take the time and create a schedule and itinerary. The fair website has a great tool for that. We were there from 9 AM and left possibly around 4 in the evening, a very full and fun day. Had there been a band worth seeing, we probably would have stayed longer but due to the poor weather and after visiting most of the fairgrounds, we felt satisfied. I still can't believe how cheap admission is too, we bought pre-sale tickets for 6$ but for our weekend, they had special 1$ days. This beats any activity anywhere! I really enjoyed the variety of events, foods, things to see and overall organization. This was one of the best weekends I've ever had and I really hope I can make this a yearly tradition. The Great New York State fair is the kind of place to build memories and summarize your summer. Until next year!

Finally made it to the Great New York State Fair this year. I've never been to any state fair before....so this was a big deal for me. It's absolutely tremendous. This isn't your small, local county fair. Parking is interesting...we had to park pretty far away. There are shuttles, but we walked to and from the car...the shuttles weren't running frequently and the lines were long. Admission varies by the day as do the main attractions. I had no idea that bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kansas were booked this year. Tons of food choices - mostly unhealthy - but I managed to find something on the healthier side (and didn't partake in any of the fried stuff). I did, however, drink a gallon of sugar...I mean lemonade.... and had a small sample of chocolate milk at the dairy barn. BUTTER SCULPTURE! WINE SLUSHIES! RIDES! GAMES! ANIMAL BARNS! (omg...I was overwhelmed by the number of bunnies...I'm a big bunny fan). We went on the new ride that is basically a ski lift....it gives views of the entire fair from above. Relaxing and fun. I would absolutely love to come back to the NYS fair again.

I'm a native Floridian, our fair is held in February. So for me fair weather is cool crisp air. You can spend the whole day walking around outside without breaking a sweat. So it's very odd for me to go to the state fair in August. Last year was unbearably hot, this year the weather was more cooperative. Another thing that was a bit off to me was the separation of the midway and the food and shop vendors. We spent the whole day away from the midway so I didn't see any games or rides that caught my eye while I was searching for the perfect fried treat. But through it all I had a good time. I like that you can get budget friendly food items mixed with the overpriced food items. The real highlights to me were the animals, the maple ice cream, and did I mention maple ice cream?

I have been to so many fairs, carnivals, and festivals in my life that I have a pretty high standard of what is fun and what is boring. The NY state fair is definitely not boring. We try to go ever year and typically its for different reasons. 1 year it was to see Coheed and Cambria, another year to see Dashboard Confessional. Sometimes we have gone without any purpose and just winged it. This year I made sure we went on the food truck day and it was so freaking fun! They had about 20 trucks there and each truck were serving 3 dollar samples. Some of the samples were delicious, some were kind of a jip due to the portion and relative cost. I would highly recommend coming on food truck day though. It's like a much more tame Taste of Syracuse. That and the fact that food trucks are awesome! We also checked out the midway. I don't usually go on the rides because they are way too tame for me and I don't like paying for tame. One ride stuck out to me though. A ride that I absolutely don't remember them having in the recent past. The ride I am referring to is the awesome gondola. Here is the thing...I love sitting. I also love seeing things as well. This is the perfect match up. Its a bit pricey at 8 bucks for a round trip, but it so relaxing sitting and just looking at the fair while in the sky. Its also a pretty long ride too. I think we were on it for about 10 or 15 minutes. The best part of the fair was the new show they had. I believe the name was waterbark or waterdogs or something. It combined 2 different shows in one. It had live acrobats, tons of humor, and extremely cute dogs. The dogs were doing tricks, jumping in the water for races, and interacting with the acrobats. I loved watching and it was extremely fun! The best part was after the show they brought all the dogs out (about 8-10) and let everyone pet them and meet them! We also bought a dog stuffed animal for only 5 bucks! This was such a great event. The food, the music, and the fun make the fair amazing! I recommend coming here next year for sure!