Back in August 2015, State Fair Hound howled at a comment from one clueless guy on syracuse.com  who said he couldn’t find much to do at the New York State Fair. He said that after a couple of hours of eating, walking around the midway and touring some buildings, he was ready to go home. The Hound offered a response, still relevant and updated below.

First, if you’re wandering around until something catches your eye, you’re less likely to have a good time. Before heading over, ask yourself,  “What’s at the Fair that would make my day enjoyable?” Plan your visit with that in mind and you’re much more likely to great day on the grounds.

You name it, it’s at our Fair. There’s music, fine art, gardening, nature, livestock, cars, farming, antiques, cooking, wild animals, theater, trains, wine and beer, sports, science and medicine, a circus, Native American history and dance, African culture, crafts, hunting and fishing, food, food and more food from some of Central New York’s finest restaurants serving perennial culinary treats and exotic concoctions.

Not enough? Strolling acts like Hilby, Bandaloni and the Living Statues are hard to find anywhere else. The nearly-unique butter sculpture and the amazing sand sculpture are great fun. Free samples and prize drawings abound. And you already know about the midway, a world of entertainment in itself.

If you enjoy taking photos, you can spend the entire 13 days snapping pictures without repeating one. There’s no shortage of shopping, including many unusual items and those crazy things hyped on television infomercials. Even the sales pitches are entertaining.

Focus on the achievements and ideas of young New Yorkers in the Youth Building, the Talent Showcase, the FFA Exhibits Building and the animal barns. Hop on a tram and relax while enjoying a tour of the grounds or view it all from above on the Broadway Skyliner.

Do you have questions or need information about state government services? Many are here. You can pay your respects to veterans and remember 9-11 victims, attend worship services, register to vote, sign up to be an organ donor, play the State Lottery, investigate educational or professional opportunities or plan your next vacation.

There are many patrons who love to just sit with a meal or a drink and watch people pass by. Pull up a picnic table and take it all in. There are food stands that have a neighborhood tavern or sports bar atmosphere, complete with televised games. The whole show ends with dazzling fireworks.

No event, not even the Great New York State Fair, is for everybody. But if you don’t enjoy it, it’s not because there’s not enough there. For more on the wealth of entertainment at the Fair, scroll through the posts here on statefairhound.com and review the Fair’s website, www.nysfair.ny.gov.

The past few Fairs have reminded us how weather patterns can move in and affect  comfort levels, if not the actual attendance numbers during that two weeks.

Unbearable heat and humidity made 2015 a really tough year to get full enjoyment, especially on the steamy midway blacktop or on the hot, metal Chevy court benches. That is arguably the worst possible weather scenario for our Fair.

The following year was close to ideal and fans responded with record attendance as much happier folks toured the grounds. Last year was unseasonably cool for late August and early September, but it wasn’t really a problem for visitors and was likely welcomed by workers, especially those who work behind a sizzling grill or bubbling fryer. Cold drink and ice cream sales may have lagged a bit, but for the most part it was a successful Fair with more big attendance numbers.

So what should we expect this year? We don’t know for sure, of course, but Accuweather is predicting mostly dry conditions and moderate temperatures with a high reading of 85 degrees on September 1. Sounds great, but weather being what it is, we can’t count on predictions this far out.

So prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.

Progress continues on the new event center at the New York State Fair. Completion is expected by opening day, though the area will still be under construction during the Syracuse Nationals in July.

If you’re wondering about the exact location of the new building, it’s going up at the western end of the grounds, near the Youth Building and the Talent Showcase stage, just past the sheep barn. Riding the Broadway Skyliner to its western terminus would be the most fun way to get there.

A recent trip to the New York State Fairgrounds, now over a month after closing with a bang on a record Labor Day, was stunning in how empty the site looks despite a large RV sale and a popular horse show.

The long-range vista is now permanently defined by posts left in place after disassembly of the Broadway Skyliner. Memories of off-season visitors will be stimulated by the 35-foot-high orange beams, now stripped of the seats.

So far, the colorful mural painted during the Fair still stands in the Times Square area. State Fair info guy Dave Bullard tells The Hound that the plan is for the wall to remain a part of the grounds, in a yet-to-be-determined location

State Fair Hound salutes Fair fans who came out on day 12 despite the rain. This tenacious bunch camped out at Chevy Court all day for a concert.

It’s not too soon to stock up on raingear for next year. If you’re properly equipped, every day at the Fair is a great day.