Excelsior

There wasn’t much about the 2018 New York State Fair that deserves complaint. It was a triumph, no doubt. But there’s never been a perfect state fair, here or anywhere else. Thus, State Fair Hound will offer constructive criticism and creative suggestions in hopes of inspiring discussion leading to an even better 2019 event.

The top complaint should be no surprise, as the Hound joins a chorus of boos in response to the State Fair’s water monopoly, mandated this year for the first time. Never mind that all bottled water cost two bucks, double the price commonly available at previous Fairs. It’s not about the money.

The policy requiring vendors to peddle Pepsi’s Aquafina “purified”  tap water at a set price betrayed the longstanding Fair free-market competition standard, setting a disturbing precedent. The remedy is exceedingly simple–cancel the policy and allow vendors and customers decide what to buy and how much to pay, especially when it comes to the most vital consumable sold on the grounds.

As always, Chevy Court had its ups and downs, big crowds and small. State Fair Hound would love to see the Fair dump Live Nation as promoter, confident that a more open-minded and knowledgeable agency, one less driven by corporate greed, would provide a better lineup, but don’t expect a change.

Regular readers have read enough complaints about the lack of country music at Chevy Court, so let’s dispense with another chorus of that refrain. But first, take note that Alabama played downstate at Tags during the Fair, on Aug. 26 with Diamond Rio, while both Alison Krauss (Sep. 9 at Turning Stone) and Sawyer Brown (Sep. 7 at Del Lago) played within a week of Labor Day. All four acts would have been great bookings for Chevy. Obviously, they were available in this area in the State Fair time frame. Did Live Nation try to book them?

Moving on, not really a complaint, but we should be excited about seeing the new Exposition Center used next Fair in ways that don’t require ice. The frozen events this year were a departure and a novelty, but once is enough. What else ya got?

Looking toward next Fair, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of Woodstock and celebrating that historic festival could be a knockout addition, especially combined with musical acts that revive the spirit, maybe a mini-fest right over on Experience Stage.

Speaking of that stage, here’s a radical suggestion. While strides were made this year to attract traffic to the western end of the grounds, those who made the trek to the developing area with its wide open green space realized that it’s a very long walk from the main gate and the Chevy Court area. Hot weather made it an unbearable hike. Trams alone do not provide enough transportation, not even close.

The Broadway Skyliner is a fun way to get there, but it costs five dollars, one way. Could there be a way to make the ski lift-style ride cheaper, even (gasp) free as a way to make the entire grounds more accessible? Or maybe there’s another option–some type of shuttle service. But it should be a priority.

The Family Fun Zone, which is the large, grassy area between the Expo Center and the Youth Building, hosted several acts, one of which was the Waterbarks Dogs show. While a performance with dogs diving into a pool of water sounds terrific, this particular show was pretty dull–too much of the people, not enough of the dogs. The Fair has hosted much better dog acts in past years and should seek one out for 2019. Overall, the FFZ is a great spot, loaded with free shows.

While the relocation of the sand sculpture to the Expo Center worked out great, the opportunity to utilize space it vacated in the Center of Progress was missed. The open floor area was used to bring in more vendors, labor unions and governmental agencies, which is OK, but it could be more.

That central location, just off Chevy Court, is prime space. How about bringing in an exhibit that could come to be as popular as the sand sculpture? The Empire State is home to major attractions–Baseball Hall of Fame, Corning Glass, Saratoga Race Track, the Erie Canal, New York City tourist sites and many others–that could install terrific entertainment.

With Troy Waffner now Director, expect more of the same when it comes to hard-working, friendly staff and consistent efforts to make a great Fair greater. The State can’t continue its spending spree after the millions of dollars it’s poured into the grounds, but the enormous attendance numbers speak for themselves. Building on that success means constant planning to keep our Fair moving into the future.