The Midway rides are gearing up. The food vendors are stocking up. The farm exhibitors are loading up.

Even the weather forecast is looking up.

It’s New York State Fair time in Central New York.

The fair opens Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 9 a.m. It’ll run from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily until Monday, Sept. 1 (Labor Day). Closing time on Labor Day is 9 p.m.

This, by the way, is the earliest possible starting date for the 13-day fair. It always ends on Labor Day, which is the first day of September this year.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to flood the fairgrounds in Geddes over the next two weeks. Last year’s 13-day attendance was 868,745. The record was 1,329,275 fairgoers in 2019.

Here’s what you need to know:

Tickets and admission

Fair admission is $8 per day for an adult. Seniors 65 and older get in free. So do kids 12 and under. You can buy tickets online in advance ($8.32 with fee).

You won’t be able to pay cash for tickets at the gate — you’ll need to purchase them on your phone, or using a kiosk at the gate. Your best bet? Get them ahead of time.

The fair is also offering a “frequent fairgoer” ticket for $25 (plus a 70-cent fee) that grants admission all 13 days of the fair.

There are a handful of special days and free admission days for people in certain groups (like military, law enforcement or Native American tribes).

2023 NYS Fair Holstein Dairy Show Young dairy farmers line up in the center ring of the Dairy Barn during the youth Holstein show. (Steve Featherstone/Steve Featherstone | sfeatherstone@syracuse.com) Midway rides

The Wade Shows Midway currently has more than 60 rides, and cost between 3-6 tickets to ride.

  • Individual ride tickets can be purchased at any Wade Shows ticket booth during the Fair. It’s $7 for five tickets.
  • Single-day wristbands, which grant ride-all-day access, can be purchased online for $30.13 (with fees) until 3 a.m. on Aug. 19. That’s a $19 saving on the cost after Tuesday.
  • Love the rides? There’s a “mega” ride pass for $101.20 (including fees). It allows unlimited rides through the run of the fair.

More information on Midway ticketing and restrictions.

Parking and getting to the fair

The state fairgrounds are located at 581 State Fair Blvd. in Geddes.

Parking is $12 per vehicle. You can pay with a credit card at the entrance to the parking lot. You can also buy parking passes in advance online. Note: EZ Pass is not available for parking.

Drivers can park in the Orange, Brown, Pink and Gray lots, or the lot on Willis Avenue. The fair’s parking lots can hold up to 23,000 vehicles. There’s no overnight parking.

Accessible parking is available to people with the proper license plates or hanging tags in the Pink accessible lot across from Gate 3 off State Fair Boulevard. The Gray accessible lot is on the west end of the fairgrounds, reachable through Gate 6.

Buses run daily to the fair. Centro will provide its popular Park-N-Ride direct shuttle service each day of the fair from the Centro Transit Hub in downtown Syracuse, Long Branch Park in Liverpool and Destiny USA.

Oswego County Department of Mobility Management offers free park-n-ride transportation from locations in Oswego, Fulton, Central Square and Phoenix.

Check the website for details.

Transportation on the fairgrounds

Trams run continuously on the fairgrounds, stopping at 10 stops from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

A dedicated ADA shuttle runs continuously between the Gray accessible lot, located outside Gate 10 to Tram Stop #3 at the Horticulture Building from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

2022 NY State Fair The 25-cent millk in the dairy Building of the New York State Fair. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller) Special days

Several special themed days occur through the run of the fair. They include:

Wacky Wednesdays: Aug. 20 and 27. On both Wednesdays of this year’s fair, the Midway will feature wristbands offering one-day, ride-all-day pass for $30.

Student Youth Day: Thursday Aug. 21. Youth and students 18 and under receive free admission. ID showing date of birth may be requested.

Agriculture Career Day, Thursday, Aug. 21. Connect with industry representatives and visit informational exhibits and join an agriculture-centric scavenger hunt.

Pride Day: Friday, Aug. 22. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are recognized with a flag-raising ceremony and parade.

New Americans Day: Friday, Aug. 22. Watch as about 100 new citizens pledge their allegiance to the United States and become Americans. Ceremony will be held 11 a.m. at the Art & Home Center.

Family Fishing Days: Friday Aug. 22 and Friday Aug. 29. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation offers two free fishing events on both fair Fridays. They are noon to 5 p.m. at the pond in the Experience Area, near Suburban Park. No fishing license is required, and loaner rods are available. All ages and abilities are welcome.

Law Enforcement Day: Monday, Aug. 25. Active and retired New York law enforcement and corrections personnel receive free admission by showing a badge or picture ID from the department from which they are or were employed. A ceremony honoring fallen officers starts at 11:15 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial in front of the Horticulture Building. The Law Enforcement Parade steps off from the back of the Exposition Center at 6 p.m.

State Parks Day: Monday, Aug. 25. Admission will be free for fairgoers who present one of the following New York State Parks passes at the gates: Empire Pass, Access Pass, Lifetime Liberty Pass and Golden Park Program (people 65 years old and older are admitted free every day of the fair).

Maple Day: Monday Aug. 25. Check out the sweet activities provided by the New York Maple Association.

Fire, Rescue & EMS Day: Tuesday, Aug. 26. This day, sponsored by National Grid, honors the men and women of fire, emergency services and EMS agencies with free admission. Any active or retired member of a fire department, emergency services, or EMS organization should present a picture ID from that department or organization. The annual ceremony honoring first responders starts at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial in front of the Horticulture Building. The Fire, Rescue & EMS Day Parade steps off from the back of the Exposition Center at 6 p.m.

Beef Day: Tuesday, Aug. 26. Cattle shows and the popular Hay Bale Throwing Competition are among the highlights of the day celebrating the state’s beef industry. Members of the NY Beef Council also will share recipes. The first 1,000 children through the gate will receive free cow ear headbands.

Women’s Day: Wednesday, Aug. 27. Sponsored by Fidelis Care & WellCare by Fidelis, this day features a health & wellness mini-fair from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chevy Court Pavilion. It will include many advocacy groups for women, offering information and answering questions. There’s also a Women’s Day Breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. For $35, it includes parking, fair admission, breakfast, and a seat at the table “with the leading ladies of New York State agriculture.” Get tickets here.

Sensory Friendly Day: Wednesday, Aug. 27. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the fair will recognize those with sensitivities by having Midway rides operate without lights and reducing sounds, music, and public address announcements throughout fairgrounds.

Armed Forces Day: Thursday, Aug. 28. Active duty military and veterans get free admission by showing identification (Military ID Card, form DD-214 or NYS Driver License, Learner Permit or non-driver ID card with a veteran designation). The day, sponsored by National Grid, also includes a ceremony starting at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial in front of the Horticulture Building. The Armed Forces Parade steps off from the back of the Exposition Center at 6 p.m.

Dairy Day: Thursday, Aug. 28. Activities include demonstrations, trivia, and selections of dairy beverage and food products made in New York. Visit the Dairy Cow Birthing Center and the Milking Parlor in the Dairy Cattle Barn. See the results of the Best NY Milk, Best NY Cheese and Best NY Ice Cream Awards and watch “Undeniably Dairy Shake-Off Milkshake Contest” held at the Chevy Court Pavilion at 10:30 a.m.

Stomp Out Stigma Day: Thursday, Aug. 28. This day supports those suffering with addiction. Activities begin with the Chalk the Walk at 9 a.m. outside the main gate. While supplies last, fairgoers can grab some chalk and join others in drawing inspirational messages of hope.

Native Americans Day: Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. All members of Native American tribes get free admission, with no ID required. Guests are invited to visit the Indian Village throughout the day for cultural performances and crafts.

Labor Day: Monday Sept. 1. The fair celebrates “the hardworking people who make America strong” with a parade led by organized labor members. The parade steps off from the Expo Center at 10:30 a.m.

Entertainment

More than 40 national acts are scheduled to perform at the NYS Fair’s two main stages, Suburban Park and Chevy Court, between Aug. 20 and Sept. 1.

All concerts are included with fair admission.

Big names on the schedule include rappers Shaggy, Lil Jon and Busta Rhymes; boy band 98 Degrees; rock groups Sister Hazel, Live, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Vertical Horizon, Los Lonely Boys, O.A.R. and Neon Trees; country star Dustin Lynch; and tributes to pop icons Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.

If you love the classics: Cheap Trick will rock Chevy Court on Thursday, Aug. 21, at 6 p.m.; Lynyrd Skynyrd will play Suburban Park on Thursday, Aug. 28 at 8 p.m.; and the legendary Dionne Warwick will grace Chevy Court on Labor Day, Sept. 1, at noon.

See the full concert schedule.

There are also nine new acts joining the roster of on-the-grounds entertainers.

Dropkick Murphys play NY State Fair The pre-concert crowd had a lot of energy before the Dropkick Murphys took the Chevy Park stage at the New York State Fair on Saturday night. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller) Food and drinks

For many people, the highlight of the state fair are all the food and drink vendors, offering both traditional items like pizze fritte and Italian sausage sandwiches and new items too.

In 2023, we highlighted the most iconic State Fair foods of all time in our New York State Fair Food Hall of Fame.

And the traditions continue. Last year, we found 12 vendors who have been serving at the fair for 25 years or more. All but one appear to be back this year. They’re joined by many other returning vendors and at least 17 newcomers.

Looking for more? Syracuse.com will have more than two dozen reporters on site on day one, hitting as many food and drink stands as we can to bring you details on the best stuff we can find. Stay tuned.

Other attractions

Returning this year are the Latino Village, Pan-African Village, Indian Village and Asian Village with plenty of food and cultural offerings.

Many buildings showcase New York’s agricultural heritage featuring animals such as pigs, cattle, horses, poultry and others. This year, the fair is unveiling newly built horse barns and sheep and goat buildings.

And don’t forget the annual butter sculpture in the Dairy Building and sand sculpture in the Expo Center.

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