The Great New York State Fair

It's back! The Great New York State Fair returns at the end of August. The 13-day celebration is happening from August 20 through September 1, 2025, at the NYS Fairgrounds. 

Join in on the nation's longest-running state fair for another year of thrills, fun, food, and live entertainment. Be sure to check out the Greater Syracuse Area Visitor Guide on our website and request your copy today!

We’ve created this cheat sheet to help you make the most of your time once you get to the fair, so you can maximize your fun.

Chevy Court Concerts

What do artists like Cheap Trick, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and Yacht Rock Renu have in common? They’re all headed to the Main Stage at Chevy Court during the duration of the Great New York State Fair. That’s not all, there’s plenty of music and other top musicians lined up for the 13-day event.

The Suburban Park Stage is also expected to bring some major voices and bands to the stage, including Lil Jon, All Time Low, Shaggy, and so much more. 

Fair Food, Fair Drinks, and BINGO

The Great New York State Fair is welcoming back, and for the first time, many food and drink vendors this year. With over 100 food and drink options, you and your group will not go hungry. Refreshing lemonade, bold BBQ, flavorful fried foods, decadent desserts, and more, your options are virtually endless! Not just a variety of food, either, Syracuse is welcoming businesses from all over the United States to showcase their tasty creations. Pennsylvania, Florida, and the State of Washington will be in attendance, to name a few.

All new this year, we're teaming up with Syracuse's local, @savorcuse, and we're reimaging eating at the Fair with this exclusive Bingo Card! Participating is super easy and fun! Check out how you and your friends can play below!

PRINT:

1. Print Bingo Board, here!

2. Mark off items until you get BINGO! 

3. Take a picture of your completed board and share to Instagram stories, tagging @savorcuse and @visitsyracuse (not a requirement, we just love to see people's different BINGO combos!)

INSTAGRAM STORY:

1. Download the story template to your phone

2. Upload image to your story

3. Mark off items with GIFs, photos, or checks until you get BINGO!

4. Share your story, tagging  @savorcuse and @visitsyracuse for a chance to be reshared! We can't wait to see your cards.

Sculptures and Unique Artwork

If you’ve never visited the NYS Fair before, that’s okay. Those who have, however, understand that you’re not doing the NYS Fair correctly unless you visit the amazing sculptures created there. We’re not talking ice or clay, we’re talking giant, intricate, and beautiful pieces of art created using materials like butter and sand (totally separate exhibits, in different buildings). Make sure to check out both unique works of art that change themes every year. The sand sculptures will be found in the Center of Progress Building, and the Butter Display will be located in the Dairy Products Building.

Greatest Carnival on the Planet

Head to the midway for over 50 rides and a variety of fair games. Bumper Cars, the Cyclone, and the Grand Carousel are just a few fun rides to check out. Test your skills with fair games and win a giant stuffed animal you’ve been eyeing. Want to have the best view of the Fair? Simply take a trip on the giant Ferris Wheel and you'll have an amazing view of the entire Fair. There are midway activities for all ages, so make sure to stock up on tickets and have some fun.

Horses, Llamas, Cows & Butterflies

The Fair is your perfect opportunity to view over 10,000 animals, many of them competing for best in show. View cows, llamas, goats, horses, rabbits, poultry, and other members of the animal kingdom. There’s even a rodeo, so put on your cowboy hat and cheer on your favorites.

Enter the Sky River Butterfly Exhibit inside the Horticulture Building for a chance to see butterflies from all over the world. Hold out a feeding stick included with the exhibit entry to get up close and personal with these winged beauties.

Variety of Vendors 

Not just fun, entertainment, and food, at the Fair, you’ll find a plethora of shopping from a variety of different vendors. Shop everything from leather goods and customized items, new crafts for your home, and clothing for you and your pets; you might even walk away with a brand-new hot tub. Take a stroll through the Marketplace Pavilion Tent or venture into the Center of Progress Building. There’s so much to see, whether you’re looking to buy or browse.

Got Milk?

A true fan favorite of the Great New York State Fair is... the Milk Bar. As always, fairgoers will be able to enjoy an ice-cold cup of white or chocolate milk for only .25 cents, and during the last 3 days of the white milk will be swapped out for strawberry milk. You can also head to the milking parlor to see the process first-hand, how the milk goes from cow to cup. Which milk flavor are you trying?

Cultural Villages

Make your way through designated villages dedicated to celebrating Asian, Iroquois, Pan-African, and Latino cultures. Watch live performances, sample unique dishes, and learn something new every time you visit one of these villages. The Asian Village is featured from August 21 - 25 near the Gate 4 entrance, located by the Youth Building. Latino Village is highlighted between August 28 - September 1.

Plan Your Trip Today!

The Great New York State Fair will be here before you know it, so don’t waste any more time and plan your stay in Syracuse today. The NYS Fair offers a wide range of special days to make every fairgoer and their family feel included, seen and heard. Join the fair on Women's Day, Pride Day, Law Enforcement Day, Dairy Day, and so many more to make your NYS Fair experience special to you. 

With so much to see and do at the Fair, what will you check off your list first?