The mottled sky makes this swinging trip even better.
Month: September 2016 (Page 3 of 3)
Without barns filled with livestock, it wouldn’t be the New York State Fair. Farm animals are a living foundation and traditional fan favorite. Those who want to see all species on display will have to
make a special trip to the western end of the grounds to tour the Beef Cattle barn.
The spacious pole barn was built more recently than most other barn to house hundreds of steers. They’re bigger and scarier than the more familiar dairy cattle and you certainly aren’t likely to reach over to scratch their heads. Still, it’s worth a trip past Talent Showcase and the Cow Birthing tent to meet these bulky bovines, though you may not want a burger after looking into their soulful eyes.
Nearby, the 4-H kids test their equine skills at an outdoor ring. 
Horse play is always entertaining at the Fair, but these hardworking boys and girls make it inspiring as well. Friday and Saturday featured competitions for adorable miniature horses, including pulling carts and jumping bars.
Six-Nations vendors offer a variety of terrific Fair souvenirs, many of them handmade, every day from their huts in the Iroquois Village. These dreamcatchers dangle in the sunshine in this Nick LoPresti photo.
When it’s time to eat at the new York State Fair—and it’s pretty much always time to eat—you can find sausage or steak sandwiches, fried dough, burgers and French fries everywhere. If you’re looking for something a little different and just as tasty, the Pan African Village offers a delicious change of pace.
This year, in addition to Gwen’s soul food, island hopping at La Delicias and Bongo’s spicy jerk entrees, Creole Soul Café has arrived with a taste of New Orleans. 
Local chef and restaurateur Darren Chavis, whose hosts a downtown eatery of the same name, is serving up traditional Cajun and creole dishes like gumbo and red beans and rice, and plenty of hearty choices from catfish and gator to crawfish and shrimp. This isn’t Chavis’ first Mardi Gras, as the bayou-born chef had been stirring the Nawlins pot for many years prior to taking up residence in the old Dey Brothers Building.
Creole Soul fits perfectly as part of the eclectic and exotic Pan African Village, which this Fair celebrates 20 years located between the Center of Progress and the Art and Home Center, 
just inside the new gate 11a, near tram stop 2.
In addition to terrific ethnic cuisine, there’s a steady stream of live entertainment and several boutique tents of jewelry, crafts, gifts and collectibles. Though emphasizing African and Caribbean cultures, everyone is warmly welcomed to this not-to-be-missed Fair locale.
Satisfying a hearty appetite wasn’t always as easy as ordering up a steak sandwich or an ear of corn on the midway. Hungry cowboys had a Pavlovian response to the clang of the dinner bell rung by the crew of their drive’s chuckwagon, 
much like the authentic one exhibited every day of the Fair in Carriage Museum.
Oswego County cowboy lore buff Doug Corey has his red-wheeled wagon fully equipped with everything needed on the trail to rustle up some hearty grub to feed trail hands in the old west, from vintage iron cookware to barrels, actual containers of food and whiskey, lanterns and a coffee grinder mounted on the side of a wagon.
Corey, in character with a white beard and wide-brimmed hat, is on hand for his 19th year at the Fair, 
ready to answer questions from tenderfoots and talk up the charm and history of the old west. His rolling kitchen stands among the impressive collection of antique wagons and carriages that make the Carriage Museum, next door to the Agriculture Museum, one of the Fair’s true gems.
State Fair Hound photographer Nick LoPresti managed to dodge this determined driver as he crashed through traffic on the bumper cars.
Last year’s Equine Avenue has been replaced by this year’s World of Horses and the white ten has moved to the roadway between gates three and four, across from the basketball court.
It’s still all about horses, with educational displays, demonstrations and, best of all, a chance to pat and pet the friendly animals inside, like Ace, a Percheron gelding shown here.
A new building dedicated to equine events is due for next year and State Fair Hound would love to see the World of Horses get a larger, better-equipped permanent location as part of the upgrade. The exhibit’s popularity with visitors merits first-class treatment.
There’s been another change to the location of the new York State Potato stand. This time it’s actually moved down the hall to the enclosed restaurant space in the Horticulture Building. 
The new space has seating inside the air-conditioned diner, but the lines often extend out into the hallway. Baked tater’s, white or sweet, are still a buck a spud with your choice of toppings.
One great change is the addition of genuine New York-produced drinks from Saranac, right over in Utica. Premium Soda, like root beer and cream soda, are just a dollar a bottle, a real bargain for the Fair.