GEDDES, N.Y. — Fairgoers may come to the New York State Fair for all kinds of reasons: one of its biggest agricultural and food attractions is preparing for a major change: the Milk Bar in the Dairy Products Building is set for a significant facelift after this year’s fair.
Organizers say there are more cows than ever at the fair, a sign of renewed momentum for the event’s agricultural side. “COVID really did a number on the fair,” said Charlie Luchsinger, the Dairy Cattle Superintendent. Looking ahead, Luchsinger said planning is already underway for next year.
“I think we got some more commitments to next year already, some larger herds coming back, and now we start preparing for next year.
Nearby, preparation for next year will include a rebuild of the Milk Bar operation. This is the last year milk will be served through the current Milk Bar setup. Next year, the Milk Bar is expected to be brand new and designed to handle additional flavors with a third spicket.
Fair Director Julie LaFave said the Milk Bar will be relocated within the building, but just to an adjacent wall. “Its actually going to be where the Sweet Praxis, the cookie vendor is,” LaFave said. Sweet Praxis will move across from the cream puff stand, right when you walk into the dairy products building.
LaFave said work will begin as soon as the fair ends because the project will be completed in two phases.
The plans are made as soon as this fair ends. The construction project is going to start because there are two phases.
Phase one will move tanks outside, and phase two will shuffle vendors around. With drawings already completed, construction is expected to start once the crowds leave.
Shannon Brown, a dairy product specialist and supervisor of the Milk Bar, and Eric Glaude, a dairy equipment specialist, said planning started early because of long equipment timelines. “Lead times are 12 to 18 months on some of this stuff, so we started well in advance of this stuff, hopefully we get it in before the next fair,” they said. They also pointed to broader changes in the state’s dairy industry. “So the landscape of processing in NYS has changed tremendously and it is time for the milk bar top catch up with that,” they said.
Even with the upgrades, one tradition is expected to remain: serving 25-cent milk. Jacob Maslyn, identified as cultural and economic development, described the Milk Bar’s role for young visitors. “Kids come from the Syracuse area, they all grow up here, they get transported here every day, they’re not from an agricultural background, they’re from an urban landscape,” Maslyn said.
As for the new third flavor, officials said it will be strawberry for the whole fair, with other possible flavors teased, including orange and mint.