Local Food and Beverages Take Center Stage In The Horticulture Building at The Great New York State Fair

Taste NY Builds on its New Presence in the Horticulture Building, Next to the Maple Booth

Tasting Yard in Suburban Park Concert Area to Feature 13 Craft Beverage Producers from Across the State, Rotating Nightly

Partners with Community Gardens Display to Offer Virtual Reality Experience

Dozens of New York food and beverages made by New York farmers and small businesses will be front and center at the 2024 Great New York State Fair, when the Taste NY Pop-Up Market, Taste NY Marketplace, and the Taste NY Tasting Yard return this year.  The Taste NY Pop-Up Market and Marketplace will have expanded offerings in a new location inside the Horticulture Building, directly across from and next to the Maple Booth. Taste NY will also partner with the Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Urban Farms and Community Gardens Program to show how anyone can join with their neighbors to grow delicious, fresh food in their own community. In addition, Taste NY is expanding its Tasting Yard, which will, this year, feature 13 local breweries and cideries from across the State at the Fair’s Suburban Park concert area.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said, “I’m so proud of how the Taste NY presence has grown at The Fair year over year, providing such a unique way for our New York farmers and food and beverage producers to increase their exposure in the marketplace and introduce their homegrown and made products to even more customers. We encourage fairgoers to stop by any of Taste NY’s three locations in the Horticulture Building or at Suburban Park and discover the best agricultural products New York State has to offer.”

State Fair Director Julie LaFave said, “There’s no better place to showcase all of New York’s great farmers and food and beverage businesses than at the Great New York State Fair, which sees nearly one million visitors over its 13-day run. We’re excited to spotlight all kinds of food here at the Fair, and that includes, first and foremost, all the delicious foods and beverages that New York producers have to offer.”

New York State Tasting Yard

Returning after its debut last year, the Taste NY Tasting Yard will be once again located at Suburban Park. The outdoor, patio-style beverage experience will feature a rotating selection of 13 New York State craft breweries and cideries over the course of The Fair, giving visitors a taste of New York's world-class craft beverage products while they enjoy the musical acts and giving the producers an opportunity to connect with new customers. The breweries and cideries that will be showcased in the rustic taproom-inspired pop-up for the 8pm concert are:

• Dublin Corners Farm Brewery (Linwood)
• Keegan Ales (Kingston)
• Lake Drum Brewing (Geneva)
• McGraw Box Brewing Company (McGraw)
• Millhouse Brewing (Poughkeepsie)
• Next Chapter Brewpub (Auburn)
• Nine Pin Cider Works (Albany)
• Nine Spot Brewing (Rochester)
• Prison City Brewing (Auburn)
• Skaneateles Brewery (Skaneateles)
• South Hill Cider (Ithaca)
• Strangebird Beer and Barrel House (Rochester)
• WeBe Brewing Company (Geneva)

 

Paul Leone, New York State Brewers Association Executive Director, said, “The NY Tasting Yard is a great opportunity to enjoy and discover breweries from across the state that wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to distribute their beer to Central New York. These small, independently owned breweries are making some of the best beer in the country; we’re so happy that Taste NY is providing a space to allow them to reach a wider audience.”

Scott Ramsey, New York State Cider Association Executive Director, said, “There is no better way to celebrate the essence of New York and the great New York State Fair than with NY Cider in the Taste NY Tasting Yard. Our NY Cider growers and producers are honored and thrilled to be showcasing their incredible and dynamic hard ciders in this one-of-a-kind experience that only Taste NY and the Great New York State Fair can deliver. When you're enjoying NY Cider at the Great New York State Fair, you are truly experiencing the best of New York's agricultural landscape and apple growing industry as every sip unveils New York's vast expanse of terroir, tastes, and travel experiences.”

Taste NY Marketplace and Pop-Up Market

Taste NY will also return to the Horticulture Building, directly across form and next to the Maple Booth, with a new configuration of its Taste NY Pop-Up Market and the Taste NY Marketplace. Featuring more than 300 unique products from over 80 vendors from across the State, the Pop-Up Market gives fairgoers an opportunity to sample and shop for food, beverage, and gift items sourced from across New York State.

Operated by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County, the Taste NY Pop-Up Market will provide fairgoers an opportunity to discover their new favorite locally made foods and beverages, such as sweet treats, sauces, cheese, gourmet nuts, cold beverages and much more.

Open every day at the Fair starting at 10 a.m., the Taste NY Marketplace will feature more than 40 New York State producers that will be sampling and selling their products over the 13-day run of the Fair.  Up to 12 New York food and beverage producers from across the State will be sampling daily. Vendors will be offering free samples of a variety of foods and other products that can be purchased on site. Businesses will rotate during the Fair, providing guests a new experience each time they visit the Marketplace.

This year, to provide an easier shopping experience for fairgoers, Taste NY will provide a Purchase Check area that will allow fairgoers to store products purchased at the Taste NY Marketplace and Taste NY Pop-Up Market while they enjoy The Fair and to return to pick them up before the Horticulture Building closes. Only Taste NY items may be stored, and alcohol items may not be checked.

Together, the Taste NY Marketplace and Taste NY Pop-Up Market will feature producers from every New York region. Find a complete list of Taste NY vendors featured at the Great New York State Fair here.

Community Gardens Growing Space

Taste NY will also partner with the Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Urban Farms and Community Gardens Program to highlight the State's unique growing spaces and the communities they serve. The Community Gardens Booth complements the Department's ongoing efforts to establish and expand community growing spaces and strengthen local food systems.  A new virtual reality experience, provided by Cornell, will be available Friday, August 30 through Sunday, September 1, allowing fairgoers to “experience” walking through a community garden. The booth will also direct visitors to the Voice of the Farmer Garden to see a live growing space, and the Master Gardeners and CCE Onondaga booths’ expertise on gardening.

Christopher Ian, Taste NY Market Manager, Hudson Valley Catskills Welcome Center, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County, said, “Taste NY Markets at the Great New York State Fair showcase the incredible diversity and excellence of New York's agricultural and culinary products. We are proud to be part of this iconic event, celebrating local producers and bringing the finest tastes of New York to fairgoers. Our presence here underscores our commitment to supporting local economies and promoting the unique flavors that make New York State truly special.”

Amy Lesh, Taste NY Market Manager at the Western New York Welcome Center, said, “Over the last decade plus, Taste NY has highlighted the quality, diversity, and economic impact of food and beverages grown, produced, or processed in New York State. The program has created new opportunities for producers, expanded retail locations, and forged partnerships statewide. The Taste NY Marketplace at the New York State Fair is the ideal opportunity to showcase the broad reach of New York agriculture and small business.   Taste NY at the LI Welcome Center is proud to work with over 250 vendors, some of whom will be featured at the New York State Fair.”

Other Attractions in the Horticulture Building

The Horticulture Building brings together some of the very best growers, producers, manufacturers, and apiculturists from across the State. A variety of interactive exhibits, seminars, and product booths highlight the diversity and quality of agriculture in New York State. Empire Honey Producers Association, New York State Maple Producers Association, SUNY Cobleskill, Morrisville State College, New York Farm Bureau, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also have exhibits in the Horticulture Building.

The Horticulture Building also showcases spectacular arrangements of colorful plants and flowers, and New York's harvest of fresh produce. It also gives guests a chance to get up close to a working bee colony and hundreds of amazing butterflies.

Attractions include:

• Bee Colony and Honey exhibit
• Butterfly exhibit
• Cuddle with a Baby Goat exhibit
• Flower and Produce exhibits
• Horticulture talks and demonstrations; a full schedule can be found here.
• The New York Maple Center, where you can buy candy, syrup, and ice cream made with New York maple syrup.
• The Suds & Spuds baked potato and sweet potato booth, home of the $1 baked potato with all the toppings.

 

Find Me at the Fair Contest and Passport Program

Earlier this summer, to promote New York's county and youth fairs and highlight New York State food, beverages, and agritourism, the Taste NY program once again kicked off the "Find Me at the Fair" contest. County fairs across the state are offering a "Find Me at the Fair" New York State-themed selfie station that fairgoers can interact with for a chance to win prizes, including Taste NY regional gift baskets and the Grand Prize, VIP seating for concerts at The Great New York State Fair.  Fairgoers can also get their County Fair Passport stamped at the Great New York State Fair.

About Taste NY

Taste NY highlights the quality, diversity, and economic impact of food and beverages grown, produced, or processed in New York State. Taste NY aims to create new opportunities for producers through events, retail locations, and partnerships, such as at The Great New York State Fair and the Barclays Tournament at Bethpage State Park.

Taste NY has grown significantly since its launch in 2013, bringing over $100 million in economic impact to New York State producers over 10 plus years of the program. Over the last decade, Taste NY has supported nearly 2,000 food and beverage producers participating in the program through retail outlets, events, and sponsorships. Taste NY's food and beverage businesses also support the state's farmers by using New York grown and produced ingredients in their products.

About The Great New York State Fair

The Fair starts Wednesday, August 21, and runs through Labor Day, Monday, September 2. Admission to The Great New York State Fair includes access to 39 national recording acts. There will be a daily 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. concert at Chevy Court (located near Gate 1), and a daily 8 p.m. concert at Suburban Park (located on the western end of the Fairgrounds, beyond the Midway).

Admission tickets, parking, and passes for The Fair’s famous Midway are now on sale and can be purchased by visiting The Great New York State Fair’s website. Admission tickets are $8 (plus fees) for adults while admission is free for children under 12 and senior citizens aged 65 and older. Fairgoers can also purchase a Frequent Fairgoer pass for $25 (plus fees), which provides admission to all 13-days of The Fair’s run. Parking is $12 per vehicle, plus fees.

Updated concert schedules are available on The Fair’s website at pages dedicated to Chevy Court and Suburban Park.

Founded in 1841, The Great New York State Fair showcases the best of New York agriculture, provides top-quality entertainment, and is a key piece of the state’s CNY Rising strategy of growing the Central New York economy through tourism. It is the oldest fair in the United States and is consistently recognized as being among the top five state fairs in the nation.

The New York State Fairgrounds is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. Audiences are encouraged to learn more about the Great New York State Fair online, browse photos on Flickr, and follow the fun on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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