Our state and county fairs offer their own unique blend of agriculture, amusement, and entertainment, dating back to the early 1800s.
They are agricultural-in-nature with a focus on locally-made products, celebrating the harvest season.
For 150+ years, townsfolk have looked forward to gathering together in the late summer to enjoy parades, competitions, rides, shows, exhibits, and music.
County Fairs
Rochester’s 9-County Region
Yates County Fair
July 9-13 in Penn Yan
Est. 1839, Yates County Fair Agriculture Society
Genesee County Fair
July 13-20 in Batavia
Est. 1839, Genesee County Agricultural Society
Seneca County Fair
July 17-20 in Waterloo
Est. 1843, Seneca County Agricultural Society
Orleans County Fair
July 23-28 in Albion
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County
Ontario County Fair
July 23-27 in Canandaigua
Est. 1843, Ontario County Fair Committee
Monroe County Fair
August 2-4 in Rush
Est. 1823, Monroe County Fair and Recreation Association
Livingston County Fair
August 9-10 in Caledonia
Est.1833, Livingston County Agricultural Society
Wyoming County Fair
August 10-17 in Pike
Est. 1844, Wyoming County Fair Association
Wayne County Fair
August 12-17 in Palmyra
Est. 1855, Wayne County Fair Advisory Board
County Fairs
Rochester’s Surrounding Areas
Niagara County Fair
July 31-Aug 4 in Lockport
Est. 1841, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County
Erie County Fair
August 7-18 in Hamburg
Est. 1820, Erie County Agricultural Society
Established in 1819, the Erie County Agricultural Society is the oldest civic organization in Western New York.
The fair features the World’s Largest Demolition Derby.
Steuben County Fair
August 13-18 in Bath
Est. 1819, Steuben County Fair
America’s oldest, continually running fair.
The Great New York State Fair
August 21 – September 2, 2019
in Syracuse
New York’s is the oldest state fair in the United States, established in 1841, settling in its current Syracuse location in 1890. Ours is also one of the largest, with roughly one million visitors annually, some days seeing over 100,000 people.
The fair runs annually for 13 days, beginning on the 3rd or 4th Wednesday in August and ending on Labor Day.
Helpful tidbits for planning your day trip to the State Fair:
Buy your tickets in advance. Admission to the fair is $10, children under 12 are free; check out the other pricing options for 60+ and dollar days.
Concerts at Chevy Court are free with admission, with 2 different performers/bands each day.
There are over 100 rides on the Midway and Kiddie Midway.
Transportation tips:
Review this helpful selection of fairground and parking maps.
Parking for buses and cars is $5, with a free shuttle provided from the Orange lot. Otherwise, plan for a long walk.
Several gates allow pedestrian access, including the new Gate 11A from Bridge Street.
Centro Express buses will regularly depart from State Fair Park-N-Ride locations across Onondaga, Cayuga, and Oswego Counties arriving at the Fair’s Main Gate. View locations and schedules
Amtrak provides summer service directly to the New York State Fair (Station NYF).
Select Empire Service trains will stop at Gate 11 adjacent to the Fairgrounds every day during the fair.
To give you an idea, in 2016, an eastbound train from Rochester would arrive to the fairgrounds at 9:13 a.m., with departures westbound at 3:56 p.m. and 6:51 p.m. Book your ticket to find out the exact times for this year.
PRO: No parking in the huge lots or dealing with traffic stress, many times Amtrak offers deals where kids ride free. CON: Less flexible than driving as you need to be on time at the station lest you miss your ride home.
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Fresh produce, fresh water, outdoor concerts, and 13,500 square miles to explore! Take advantage of everything summertime in Rochester has to offer.
6 Amusement Parks Near Rochester
When May comes around, you find the amusement parks with dry-rides opening on the weekends, with the water parks opening closer to Father’s Day in mid-June.
Monroe County is the heart of the Greater Rochester Nine County Region. The City of Rochester is surrounded by 19 towns and villages.
Do you go to the state and county fairs?
Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Your insight and experience is invaluable!