Geddes, N.Y. — Now that the butter sculpture has been revealed, we can get down to serious business at the New York State Fair.
The gates open at 9 a.m. today, but a few diehards have been there since probably 6 a.m. just so they can say they were at the front of the line. Like the rest of us, they’re here to eat, drink, catch some free concerts and do some serious people watching.
Vendors have spent the past week setting up for this year’s fun fest. You’ll find plenty of new food and attractions here, including the Dinosaur Expedition. State Fair Director Sean Hennessey, who’s quickly earning the “Selfie King” nickname, spent nearly an hour yesterday showing off the 60 true-to-life-size, prehistoric, lifelike dinosaurs to the local media at the Exposition Center.
You can also get reacquainted with the vendors so many of us grew up on. Chances are you’ll be able to find something new at the old standbys.
That’s where I come in. Each morning I will offer you a menu of food and drinks that I’ve stumbled upon during my stay at the Fair. So let’s get this picnic started!
Today’s Menu
In a meeting to plan our State Fair coverage, my boss lifted a line from the classic movie “Animal House” as a parental-like suggestion: “Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, Charlie.” To which I replied, “Why not? It’s the Fair.” After all, I write about food and drinks for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard, and I rely on readers to tell me what’s good. That’s what I do at the Fair too. If you find something that makes your belly smile, text me at 315-382-1984 and I’ll give it a shot. I might join you for a meal or drink and pick up the tab if I write about it.
Lunch: The Fair Deli shut its store down during the 13-day State Fair run so it could serve its food from its stand across the Poultry Building. Murad Marji and his son Zach have tweaked their special menu. They made some subtle but tasty improvements to the Krunch Dogs (fried hot dogs with mozzarella brushed with Cheetos dust), and they’ve brought back the popular bocce-ball-sized meatball.
This year, though, they added Steak Mac & Cheese. Like their store a mile west of the Fairgrounds, they make everything onsite. That goes for the seared prime rib that’s mixed with sauteed peppers and onions. They put that over their own macaroni and cheese and lace the top with Sweet Baby Ray’s bourbon barbecue sauce. The dish sells for $18, but it’s large enough to feed you and your significant other. (Thankfully I’m dining alone this morning.)
Steak mac & cheese from Fair Deli at the State Fair. (Photo by Zach Marji)
Drink: You’re not going to believe this, but our first drink on our Fair menu is refreshing, all natural and alcohol free.
This is nothing more than water. Well, it’s water inside a young chilled coconut from Thailand. For the next three days, you can find this at the MaPow stand in the Asian Village, and Chong Vang will make it right in front of you for $8.
The coconuts were harvested before they were fully mature. They have already been stripped of their outer shell, leaving a smooth membrane. Chong slams a 2-inch punch into the top of the palm fruit. Normally he’d use a heavy machete, but he doesn’t want to alarm fairgoers.
He pulls back the plug to expose the 7 to 10 ounces of sweet water inside. Your coconut comes with a straw dressed up with a cocktail umbrella.
Chong Vang delivers a fresh drink from Ma Pow Coconuts at the New York State Fair. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)
Beer of the day: Erinn McDowell, the oh-so-fun owner of The Beer Garden in the heart of Restaurant Row, will highlight a Beer of the Day throughout the Fair. Not only will she handpick each brew, she’ll knock a dollar off the pricetag.
We’re starting this year’s Fair with something light: Paradox Pilsner from North Hudson. “This is a new-to-me brewery that I can’t wait to introduce to the fairgoers,” Erinn said. “This is a light and approachable pils to ease into the Fair. No need to blow your waistline on day one, I mean unless you want to.”
>> Detailed daily schedule for Wednesday, Aug. 23
Concerts
Chubby Checker spent nearly an hour signing autographs after playing Chevy Court in the 90-plus-degree heat August 29, 2022. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)
>> Chubby Checker, 1 p.m. at Chevy Court
>> Steven Page, 2 p.m. at Suburban Park
>> Salt-N-Pepa, 6 p.m. at Chevy Court
>> Lainey Wilson, 8 p.m. at Suburban Park
Fair Basics
Tickets: Entry to the fair is $6 for an adult. Seniors 65 and older get in free. So do kids 12 and under. You can buy tickets online in advance. You won’t be able to pay cash for tickets at the gate — you’ll need to purchase them on your phone, or using a kiosk at the gate. Your best bet? Get them ahead of time.
The fair is offering a new “frequent fairgoer” ticket this year. It’s $20 and gets you access every day.
Hours: The Fair is open 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. Buildings are open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. The Midway is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., but it closes at 9 p.m. on Labor Day.
Parking: Parking will run you $10 per car this year, up from $5 in previous years (you can thank New York’s lawmakers for that). You can pay with EZ Pass Plus or with a credit card at entrance to the parking lot. You can also buy parking passes in advance online.
Other rules: Smoking is only allowed outside the gates in designated area. You can bring coolers with food and non-alcoholic drinks. No pets are allowed, unless they are working dogs or in a competition. Visitors must wear a shirt and footwear. Alcohol will not be served after 10:30 p.m. each day.
State Fair newsletter: Stay up-to-date on all New York State Fair news, food, music, schedules and more with our free newsletter.
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Charlie Miller finds the best in food, drink and fun across Central New York. Contact him at (315) 382-1984, or by email at cmiller@syracuse.com. (AND he pays for what he and his guests eat and drink, just so you know.) You can also find him under @HoosierCuse on Twitter and on Instagram. Sign up for his free weekly Where Syracuse Eats newsletter here.
All daily 2023 State Fair menus
Can I see horses this year? And what about those cute llamas and goats? (NYS Fair mailbag)
NYS Fair: 7 things we miss and want back (Editorial Board Opinion)
2023 NYS Fair food vendors: Who’s out? Who’s back? Who’s doing something new? (list)