Summer is in full swing,
and that means county and state fair season is about to begin! In the coming
weeks, fairgrounds in New York State will open their gates to fairgoers looking
to fill their day with some classic summertime fun. There are plenty of fair
options to choose from – eleven to be exact! – located near Amtrak stations.
Here are five with some unique offerings that we think you'll enjoy:
August 11 – August 16
Altamont, NY (20.4 miles
from Albany - Rensselaer Amtrak Station)
Enterprise offers station pickup car rentals. Call (518) 472-1111 for reservations.
Celebrating its 122nd year,
the Altamont Fair offers classic fair fun like amusement rides, agricultural
shows, and food vendors, as well as something educational and unique: museum
set-ups! You can take a trip back in time at the Village & Carriage Museum and experience how the Village of
Altamont may have looked and felt over 100 years ago, with visits to the
cobbler shop, wheelwright, sleigh repair shop, the hardware store, and more!
Also, view one of upstate New York’s largest collections of horse drawn
carriages.
Discover what life was
really like on a farm in the “old days” at the Farmhouse Museum, and learn about the evolution of farm equipment
from the 1800’s to the early 1900’s at the Farm
Machinery Museum. At the Blacksmith Shop, demonstrations show you the
process of making nails, hinges, sled runners, scythes, wagon wheels, and more.
Visit the Wildlife Sports and Education
Museum, dedicated to the preservation of the art, artifacts, and
memorabilia of hunting and fishing. Follow the progress of the American
automobile and view a newly refurbished 1917 Vim and a refurbished 1927 Buick
at the Cars: Past, Present & Future
Museum.
Families will have fun
at the Circus Museum, with photos
and lithographs of circuses past, and a vintage mechanical five-piece circus
band. Daily children’s activities are offered at the 1850’s Knox School No. 12
one room schoolhouse.
August 12 – August 23
Hamburg, NY (17.7 miles
from Buffalo Amtrak Station)
Enterprise offers station pickup car rentals. Call (716) 884-6666 for reservations.
With an attendance last
year of over one million people, the Erie County Fair is now the third largest county
fair in North America! In addition to traditional fair rides and animal shows,
there are plenty of unique activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Try some wacky culinary
concoctions and vote for your favorite one at the New Foods Showdown, with
treats such as Bacon Funnel Cake on a Stick, “Black Dog” Chocolate Donut Ice
Cream Bar, Gator Mac & Cheese Bowl, and Salted Caramel Cracker Jack Sundae!
Take part in the Erie County Fair 5K Run on August 15. Children can learn how
to milk a pretend cow and how to drive a “tractor,” with a snack reward at the
end for their hard work! Visit over 40 different buildings, each with unique
offerings, such as Grapes and Hops and The Carousel Room, both offering
alcoholic beverages in relaxed settings with live music, and ‘The Mall,’ home
to a variety of vendors.
The Gusto Grandstand
will feature concerts from big-name artists, such as 3 Doors Down, Collective
Soul, Meghan Trainor, Little Big Town, Alabama, Blue Oyster Cult, and more.
With so much to do, you just might have to stay more than one day!
July 28
– August 2
Plattsburgh, NY (5.6
miles from Plattsburgh Amtrak Station)
For a more
"rugged" fair experience, the Clinton County Fair has plenty of
down-and-dirty daily shows such as demolition derbies, truck and tractor pulls,
and rodeo shows. For the kids, there will be an interactive dinosaur, the
Zerbini Family Circus, and Pipsqueak's Party Time Crew. Have fun with daily
magic and illusion shows by John Steven Bloom and hypnotist Michael Blaine!
North Country's Got Talent will also be stopping by to showcase the talents and
abilities of locals and traveling visitors alike. This year's performance
highlight is the up-and-coming country music duo Maddie & Tae on July 30.
August
25 – August 30
Rhinebeck, NY (3.1 miles
from Rhinecliff-Kingston Amtrak Station)
Many summer fairs run
for 6 days, and the Dutchess County Fair is the largest fair in New York State
of that length, as well as the second largest county fair in the state. Located
in picturesque Rhinebeck on 144 acres of beautifully-kept gardens and
grass, this fair has been a classic summertime favorite for over 160 years.
Unique attributes include
the New York Fiddle Contest on August 30, the daily "Agricadabra Magic
Show," Oscar the Roving Robot, lovely themed garden scenes with koi ponds
and water lilies, as well as over 300 vendors selling a wide variety of items -
from clothing and jewelry to household items, toys to baked goods. Don't forget
to check out the buildings full of homemade crafts and hobbies as well -
including detailed handcrafted quilts and intricate woodworking, as well as the
old-fashioned food buildings - offering treats such as classic country store
candies, honey, real maple syrup, jams and jellies, fudge, caramel and chocolate
covered apples, and more!
This year's Grandstand
concert performers include Cole Swindell, the Doobie Brothers, the Spin
Doctors, Dan + Shay, and A Thousand Horses.
August 27 – September 7
Syracuse, NY
Special Amtrak station located on-site!
One of the oldest and
largest state fairs in the United States, the 12-day Great New York State Fair
continues to draw crowds of over one million people each year.
View the winning
creations of the out-of-the-ordinary "Bucket of Junk" competition,
where competitors are provided a five-gallon bucket of assorted and mismatched
pieces and are asked to use every single piece to construct a unique creation.
Adults will enjoy the Taste NY Wine & Cheese Seminars in the Horticulture
Building, where wine and cheese samples will be provided, along with
educational talks.
Visitors can also learn
about the history of the New York State Fair at a brand new historical exhibit,
and afterwards purchase vintage posters, pins, and other New York State Fair
memorabilia from the past at the souvenir shop.
This year’s Grandstand
and Chevy Court performers include big-names like Eric Church, Everclear,
Melissa Etheridge, and Hank Williams, Jr.!
Visitors riding Amtrak
to the Great New York State Fair can take advantage of this current discount - one (1) free child's rail fare to the Great New York State Fair with the
purchase of one (1) regular adult, senior citizen, or disabled adult rail fare!
For all other fairs in the state, Amtrak travelers can use the 15% ILOVENY
discount. Visit New York By Rail Discounts for more information! To discover more upcoming fairs in New
York State, visit New York By Rail Events!
