August 24, 2022 – New York State Fair

Today is the opening day of the Great New York State Fair! It’s the oldest state fair in the nation, and also one of the largest, with more than a million people attending every year.
The first state fair in the country was held in Syracuse in 1841. It only ran for 2 days, but there were an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 visitors. The first fair featured speeches, animals, a plowing contest, and samples of farm and home goods. The fair traveled to 11 different cities between 1842 and 1849, including making a stop right here in Rochester!
In 1890, a 100-acre tract of land outside of Syracuse was donated to the New York State Agricultural Society, and that location became the fair’s permanent home. The fairgrounds were used for military training during World War I, and as a military base during World War II between 1942-1947.
One of the most popular features of the fair is the rotating butter sculpture, which is made from 800 pounds of unsalted butter. After the fair is over, the butter is converted to biofuel for college buses by students at the nearby SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
The fairgrounds is also home to New York’s smallest park! The 1-acre “State Park at the Fair” first opened in 1974 and can be found in front of the Horticulture Building. It includes picnic tables, a reflecting pool, and a mini golf course.
In 2019, the Fair set an all-time attendance record, with more than 1.3 million visitors. That year there was also a single-day record attendance of more than 147,000 people. Learn more here.
Because the $1 baked potato is my favorite part of the State Fair: