Dear readers,
Next Wednesday is a favorite day for many employees at syracuse.com | Post-standard editorial. We call what you know as opening day of the New York State Fair “Operation Funnel Cake.” We send everyone from sports reporters to social media producers to sample as much food and drink as they can consume in a few hours and report on the best things to try during your visits to the fair.
“On opening day, we’re sending 25 reporters to the fair to find the best fried foods, frozen treats, drinks, dinners, food on a stick and more,” said Chris Baker, editor of the Life & Culture team. “Looking for the perfect cocktail? Or something for your gluten-free friend? Or the most remote hidden gems? We’re creating a guide to all the different ways to experience food at the NYS Fair.”
Of course, the food is one of the most fun aspects, but Chris, who organizes all of our state fairs, says we’ll have a day-by-day guide to just about everything you need to know to plan your visit.
“We’ll have daily weather forecasts, a daily guide to music and concerts at the fair, and a daily menu with a new dish every day and information on where to find it,” he said. “We’ll also have photos and concert reviews every day. That’s in addition to the appalling infomercials about things like where to park at the fair or how to rent a scooter.”
Our reporters and photographers will also be at the fair every day looking for unique stories to tell. “Want to have an idea of what to expect? Here’s one of our favorites from last year, when we ranked the top 10 bathrooms at the fair. It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it,” said Chris. “We’re going to have fun with the coverage. But we’ll also introduce you to the people who make the fair a rich tapestry, with stories like Steve Featherstone’s piece last year on rowdy beef farmers or his profiles of the people behind the fair.’
As reporter Don Cazentre pointed out today, many of your favorite longtime vendors are returning this year, but there’s always something new to see and do.
“The fair will host an Asian village for the first time. But it is not a fixture like Pan-African or Native American villages. There is also a Micron exhibition on opening day. And about a dozen new food and beverage vendors will be at the fair for the first time this year,” Chris said of what visitors can expect this year. “And of course there’s the new dinosaur exhibit at the Expo Center. It’s the closest you’ll get to Jurassic Park in Syracuse (well, maybe second closest).”
Chris said you can also expect to pay a bit more this year. Parking prices have doubled from $5 to $10 and admission for adults is $6. Planning a visit to the fair can be overwhelming, so to make it easy to organize all the information, we have a page on syracuse.com that you can bookmark and also State Fair Newsletter which will be delivered daily at 9 a.m. for the duration of the fair. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding our state fair coverage, you can contact Chris at: [email protected]