State

New York State Fair will return this summer at reduced capacity

Corey Henry | Senior Staff Photographer

The state fair was canceled in summer 2020 due to coronavirus-related restrictions on large gatherings.

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The New York State Fair will resume this summer at reduced capacity, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday morning at the fairgrounds.

The fair will operate from Aug. 20 until Sep. 6 at 50% capacity. The state will continue to update plans for the fair and may increase the capacity, should COVID-19 positivity rates in the state continue to decline.

The state fair was canceled in summer 2020 due to coronavirus-related restrictions on large gatherings.

Despite the cancellation, the fairgrounds were the site of an off-season State Fair Food Fest between April 15 and 17. The event, hosted by the Zazzara family, included Villa Pizze Fritte, Big Kahuna, Ashley Lynn Winery and Carnival Eats Syracuse. The state enforced social distancing at the event and required customers and vendors to wear masks.



The fairgrounds have also served as one of New York’s largest vaccination sites, with more than 345,000 people vaccinated there this year, according to Cuomo.

Cuomo, who made the announcement before remarks from Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball and New York Assemblyman William Magnarelli, has said he wants the fair to resume. He encouraged vendors to mark their calendars for the event, according to Syracuse.com.





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