GEDDES, N.Y. — More than 800 pounds of butter have arrived at The Great New York State Fair.
Of course, that butter is going to be used to construct the 58th Annual American Dairy Association North East Butter Sculpture. It will be the 24th consecutive sculpture built by sculptors Jim Vector and Marie Pelton. The butter arrived at the Dairy Products Building on Monday morning.
The American Dairy Association North East said it will take 11 days for the sculptors to complete their project. It will remain under wraps until it’s officially revealed on Aug. 25.
“The butter sculpture has become one of The New York State Fair’s most cherished traditions because it tells the story of our state’s dairy farm families in a way that’s both creative and memorable,” said John Chrisman, CEO of American Dairy Association North East. “While fairgoers come to see an incredible work of art, the butter sculpture is really about the people behind it – our dairy farmers, whose hard work brings wholesome, nutritious dairy foods from their farms to families across New York.”
The American Dairy Association North East said the butter comes from O-AT-KA Milk Products in Batavia, N.Y. The butter is out of specification for retail sale “for a variety of reasons, so American Dairy Association North East works with the sculptors to put it to good use by creating a beautiful piece of art.”
Last year, the butter sculpture theme was “Dairy for Good: Nourish, Grow, Thrive.” It was inspired by the 125th anniversary of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The famous story’s author, Lyman Frank Baum, was born in Chittenango, N.Y.
Once the fair concludes, the butter will return to Noblehurst Farms in Pavilion, N.Y., where it will be recycled through an anaerobic digester that converts it into renewable energy.
The American Dairy Association said the recycled butter can power one home for three days.
The 2026 Great New York State Fair goes from Aug. 26 to Labor Day on Sept. 7.