Arriving at the New York State Fair early in the morning offers a chance at a more relaxed start as most days, you can beat the rush and get a good parking space before sauntering onto the grounds. But if you arrive at 8 or 9 a.m., before the buildings open or the rides are churning, what can you do? We recommend eating breakfast at one of many vendors who open in the morning for Fair workers and early birds.
It may strike you as odd to smell bacon frying instead of the customary peppers and onions, but some of the breakfast meals you can get are sure worth the trip. The Iroquois cookhouse is a popular destination, offering a full menu of homestyle favorites. Likewise, the Grange stand, home of the famous ox roast dinners, cooks up a delicious breakfast featuring blueberry pancakes as good as any you’ll find in a restaurant, served with real maple syrup. For lighter fare, some stands, including Bosco’s, fry their own doughnuts fresh daily, while fresh fruit is available from some vendors.
The Fairgrounds is a different place in the morning as delivery trucks re-stock the stands and everyone cleans up and sets up in preparation for another exciting day. It can also be relaxing, especially if you settle down on a bench near the reflecting pool or at a picnic table near Chevy Court.
You can get an insider’s look at the inner workings as rides get inspected, cows get milked and everything get spruced up, all before the sun is high in the sky, heating the blacktop.
Gates open at 8 a.m., so set the alarm and get there early for a special Fair day.
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