Hi everyone! I’ve been remiss with my blog updates but I’m baaaaccck!
So, we all know that advance tickets to the Fair are on sale and by now we know that Miranda Lambert will be the debut act performing at the new Lakeview Amphitheater, located away from the NYS Fairgrounds on Thursday, September 3rd, 2015. This is the same night that Patti LaBelle is scheduled to perform the last concert EVER at the NYS Fair Grandstand – the End of an Era. It seems unfair to make fans choose but I suppose the thought process was to let folks who like Ms. LaBelle’s music enjoy her performance while the country fans (Blake Shelton fans included) pay big time to see Miranda over at the “New” place. Or perhaps Ms. Lambert’s schedule was inflexible? Whatever the case, I feel the Grandstand should have been allowed to go out with a BANG! This would in turn (in theory) create excitement for the new “replacement” venue across the highway. I’m sure in time the new amphitheater will be the “it” place for concerts but for those of us who will be in the transitional stage, however long that lasts, it kinda just sucks. 🙁 #nysfair #lakeviewampitheater #nysfairgrandstand #changesucks #nysfairchanges
New for 2015: The latest in “Food found only at the Fair”
Here is the description:
Take a burger patty and deep fry it (well, duh); Top it with deep-fried bacon and then garnish it with some cheddar cheese and deep-fried pickles. If you’re in Fair mode, so far it’s not TOO over the top. But here’s the kicker: Put all of that between two grilled cheese sandwiches. Whaaaa? I know it’s the Fair and anything goes but I cannot even imagine attempting to eat this colossal cardiologist’s nightmare.
Deep fried oreos, snickers or twix – I say bring it! Deep fried butter – not a chance. And the burger described above? Well, from the suburbs of Syracuse in July, I say NO. WAY. However, come late August/early September when I’m strolling the foodie aisles of the Fair, I will perhaps feel obligated to try it. How else will I be able to describe the experience accurately on my blog? So, I suppose I might be willing to take one for the team 🙂
Here’s a preview of the latest Fried Fair Food! Friend? or Foe?
Looking back at all my years at the NYS Fair, some of the best music memories are not from Grandstand Shows or Chevy Court concerts. That’s not to say that I haven’t enjoyed MANY concerts at those venues but when you stumble upon a local musician/artist playing acoustic to a small but boisterous crowd at a not so obvious spot at the Fair, it’s a different kind of experience. I love supporting local music and it only adds to my overall “Fair Experience”!
Here is just a small sampling of the many local talented bands/artists scheduled to appear at the 2015 NYS Fair. I will post updates as the schedules are posted. If you know of any band that is scheduled to play at the Fair this year, please feel free to contact me and I will post it on my blog!
TIGER @ WHELANS PUB W/ MIKE PLACE & ERIC WILSON: 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM Every night of the Fair! (Whelans Pub is located right next to the lottery building)
Better Than Bowling @ New York State Fair Regional Artist Stage
Wednesday, September 2nd: 2:30 pm and 3:45pm
The West End Bar & Grille
On Opening Day, Thursday, August 27th, nationally acknowledged country band ERIC CHURCH will be at the grandstand and THE WEST END will be hosting his fan club members starting at 4:30 with our own BILLY LORD band performing
Friday, August 28th: The Horndogs 7:30pm-11pm
Saturday, August 29th: Brass, Inc. 7:30pm-11pm
Sunday, August 30th: TJ Sacco and Urban Cowboy 7:30pm-11pm
Monday, August 31st: Greg Mach and Open Containers 7:30pm-11pm
Wednesday, September 2nd: 3 Inch Fury 7:30pm-11pm
Thursday, September 3rd: The Barndogs 7:30pm-11pm
Friday, September 4th: The Billionaires 7:30pm-11pm
Saturday, September 5th: Custom Taylor Band 7:30pm-11pm
Sunday, September 6th: Letitia and Z Band 7:30pm-11pm
It seems Chevy Court (or Miller Court for me) is the main focus as far as booking musical acts for the 2015 running of the NYS Fair. Cole Swindell, an up and coming, on the brink of super stardom country music star has been booked for August 31st @ 8pm. With the Grandstand all but neglected this year, it is becoming obvious the budget for musical acts is geared toward the free stage this year.
To be fair (pun intended), the Fair claims to have put in bids for several major acts to perform at the Grandstand. However, they were either outbid or couldn’t come close to the minimum asking price of the artists involved or there were scheduling conflicts. But there is speculation that the free acts are a bigger draw for fairgoers – it brings them through the gates in larger numbers than Grandstand acts. And as we all know the mighty dollar speaks the loudest. I miss the Grandstand already… memories of James Taylor, Don Henley, Van Halen, Counting Crows, Hootie and the Blowfish, Pappa Roach, Hinder, Styx, Cheap Trick, Journey, Pitbull, Kansas, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gin Blossoms and a few more I can’t come up with come to mind since my move to Syracuse in 1988.
Every year about this time I think about applying for a job during the Fair, just to experience it from the other side of the counter/booth, etc.. Heck there’s over 200 jobs available! But the requirement of having to work all 12 days (for most positions) always discourages me. I mean, that would cut into my “Fair” time!
As you can probably guess I visit the Fair multiple times each year. My friends and family always ask before and after: How many times are you going/did you go this year??? Some people may think I’m crazy (ok, maybe I am a bit nutty) but honestly it’s a different experience each time. Based on who I am with, whether a concert is involved or sometimes even the weather makes each day unique! Oh, and how much we win in the lotto building can also be a factor.
For me it’s all about the people. And the food. And possibly the cold beverages. So why not combine all three? Finding a perfect people watching spot is always important. Once you’ve found one, go grab a gyro, a burger or something odd that’s been deep fried and a cold beer, I mean beverage, and sit down and get ready for some free entertainment. You will most always see one of the following within the first 15 minutes: crazy off-the-wall hair, an outrageous outfit usually involving a tube top, cowboy boots, high heels and at least one guy carrying around a stuffed animal the size of Manhattan. All I can think is how in the world is he going to get that home and then if it makes it home, what do you do with it?? Can it even fit thought the door?? But I digress…
Watching how people interact with each other is most interesting to me. Every year I see a mom or dad dealing with small children who are hot and tired, usually with little success, and the new lovey-dovey couple who are completely unaware of anyone else around them. There’s always someone on an electric scooter trying to maneuver around the dense crowd getting a lot of dirty looks from folks whose toe they have just run over, and groups of teenagers talking about the midway ride they just got off of and planning their next meal. And then there’s one of my personal FPP’s (Fair Pet Peeves) – watching people who run into someone they know in the middle of a high traffic area and then stand in roadblock fashion while they “catch up”, creating chaos. I’ll stop here – FPP’s are a whole different category on my blog!
Do you like to “people watch” at the Fair? I know I’m not alone! It’s one of my favorite sports 🙂
In February 1832 the New York State Agricultural Society was founded in Albany by a group of farmers, legislators, and others to promote agricultural improvement and local fairs. In spring 1841, with the promise of an annual state subsidy, the society planned the nation’s first state fair, subsequently held on 29-30 Sept 1841 in Syracuse. There an assembled 10,000-15,000 people heard speeches by notables and viewed animal exhibits, a plowing contest, and samples of manufactured goods for the farm and home. The second New York State Fair, held in Albany in 1842, ushered in an era of growth and travel for the institution. During the 1840s the fair’s directors increased attendance and revenues by adding horse racing and other forms of entertainment. From 1842 to 1889 the fair traveled among 11 different cities—Albany, Auburn, Buffalo, Elmira, New York City, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Utica, and Watertown—before permanently settling in Onondaga Co in 1890. [courtesy syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu]
With only one musical act booked for the Grandstand at this year’s Fair, and with this being the last year for concerts held there I feel sad… It was hard enough to hear the news that all major Fair concerts in the future will be moved to the new multimillion dollar amphitheater across the highway; but to see the Grandstand go out with a “poof” rather than a BANG is depressing.
On a positive note, over at the FREE Chevy Court (or for me it will always be Miller Court) it is ROCKIN’ this year! Here’s what we have so far:
Everclear – Thursday August 27th @ 2pm
Rick Springfield – Thursday August 27th @ 8pm
Orleans – Friday, August 28th @ 2pm
Melissa Etheridge – Friday August 28th @ 8pm
Dan & Shay – Saturday August 29th @ 2pm
Buck Cherry -Saturday August 29th @ 8pm
The Swon Brothers – Sunday August 30th @ 2pm
Nate Buess (of “fun”) – Sunday August 30th @ 8pm
Bowzer’s Rock ‘N Roll Party – Monday August 31st @ 2pm
Cole Swindell – Monday August 31st @ 8pm
The Oak Ridge Boys – Tuesday September 1st @ 2pm
Joe Nichols – Tuesday September 1st @ 8pm
Salt-N-Pepa – Wednesday September 2nd, @ 2pm
Snoop Dogg – Wednesday September 2nd @ 8pm
Olivia Somerlyn and Who Is Fancy – Thursday September 3rd @ 2pm
Meghan Trainor – Thursday September 3rd @ 8pm
Six Nations Dancers – Friday September 4th @ 1pm
The Ripcords – Friday September 4th @ 2pm
Fifth Harmony – Friday September 4th @ 8pm
Sawyer Fredericks with Josh Batstone & Amanda Lee Peers – Saturday September 5th @ 2pm
The Jacksons – Saturday September 5th @ 8pm
R5 – Sunday September 6th @ 2pm
Steve Miller Band – Sunday September 6th @ 8pm
Nick Jonas – Monday (Labor Day) September 7th @ 6pm
Hi everyone! I’ve been remiss with my blog updates but I’m baaaaccck!
