or 12 days every August, close to a mil- lion celebrants pass through ticket gates in anticipation of getting dizzy on thrill rides,
stuffing themselves full of greasy food, reach- ing through fences to pet farm animals, groov- ing to live music from famous performers and enduring sales pitches from every direction. In these parts, that spells a trip to the shores of Onondaga Lake for another New York State Fair, but Syracuse isn’t the only place in New York that hosts a major summer blowout. Western New Yorkers enjoy many of the same attractions in their own back yard at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, four miles south of Buffalo, having just concluded its 171st edi- tion on Aug. 22.
Research has confirmed what seems logical.
New Yorkers tend to visit the nearest of the two big fairs with competition for patrons hottest in the border areas west of Rochester and in the Finger Lakes where Empire State residents may choose to travel east or west, or possibly both, for their annual big expo. “We do a visitors survey during the Fair,”
reports State Fair public relations director Fred- eric Pierce. “What that shows us is that about 40 percent of our visitors come from Syracuse and the immediate surrounding area and 60 come from outside. We’ve been marketing in areas outside and we’ve been successful in doing that. Around the Finger Lakes and the Oswego area—outer Central New York—we do really
well. Once we get beyond that, like Buffalo, it’s a small percentage, relatively.” Conversely, Buffalo-area residents are the
strongest segment at the Erie County Fair. “About 80 percent of our guests come from the Western New York area, Jamestown to Olean,” says Lou Ann Delaney, director of market- ing and public relations for the Erie County Fair. “Rochester we find is somewhat divided between the New York State Fair and the Erie County Fair. We get a lot of guests from Canada and we take Canadian money at par. We do market up there quite a bit. With the Canadian money taken at par, it’s a real incentive, much more affordable than going up to Toronto’s fair.” A 2009 visit to the Erie County Fair, which
boasts on its website that it’s “the largest inde- pendent county fair in North America,” revealed many similarities to the State Fair, the most evident being a midway packed with rides and games of chance provided by the James E. Strates Shows. Both feature such crowd-pleasers as the Giant Wheel, the King’s Castle funhouse and the Top Spin at the top of the midway and many other classic favorites and recent additions throughout. “It’s very similar,” acknowledges manager
John Strates, grandson of his company’s found- er. “It’s a little larger here {at the State Fair}. There’s a few more vendors, a few more rides.” Another similarity is the national entertain- ment lineup that last year included several acts
that have played the State Fair, including country duos Brooks and Dunn and Montgomery Gentry. Some performers actually make a stop in Hamburg before cruising down the Thruway to play in Geddes as country neophyte Jake Owens did last year. Concert seating at the Erie County Fair faces a racetrack as it does at the State Fair. Logically, the most likely motivat-
ing factor that could draw visitors from longer distances would be the attraction of national entertainers who may not be playing local stages. For instance, this year The Four Tops and Jason Aldean are playing the Erie County Fair, but not the State Fair. Meanwhile Western New Yorkers who are fans of Rihanna or Lady Antebellum would have to leave home to see those shows, when they play at the Empire Expo Center. The most visible difference
between the two fairs is the infra- structures of the venues. Visitors to the State Fair can’t help but notice the town square look of the Chevro-
A visit to the Erie County Fair operation different fr By Kevin Corbett Photo
Anyone walking through the State Fair this year look-
ing for eye-popping improvements or blockbuster new attractions is going to be disappointed. More than usual, the 164th State Fair resembles its predecessor with a few exceptions. New construction includes another new food stand. This
year it’s Danny D's Fine Food, a popular stop for diners hungry for homemade clam chowder. It’s also one of the larger eating establishments on the grounds and the first permanent structure along Restaurant Row near the Coli- seum. Another change in name means Basilio's of sausage fame is now called Paul Basilio's State Fair Sausage. In an effort to ease congestion at Chevrolet Court
concerts, there are new picnic areas on both sides, one in front of the colonnade and the other in front of the Center of Progress Building. Both consist of tables with umbrel- las for shade, surrounded by some classy masonry. Ven- dors have been moved out to create a more open look. Only the most sharp-eyed visitor is likely to notice
the new roof on the Youth Building, but maintaining the handsome and historic architecture of buildings on the grounds is essential to the Fair’s long-term health. Let’s
hope refurbishment of the gl culture Building will be next New entertainment is alm
dren with three new animal a Monkeys features performing
in the Adventure Zone, behin Nearby, the Elephant and Tig Bengal tigers and African ele Animals offers a close-up loo insects, kangaroos, monkeys Youth Activity Center near th
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Aug. 25 - Sept. 1, 2010 Syracuse New Times Aug. 25 - Sept. 1, 2010 Syracuse New Times
NEWS & OPINION FEATURE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS CLASSIFIED NEWS & OPINION FEATURE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS CLASSIFIED
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