Great New York State Fair kicks off – Troy Record

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The 2026 Great New York State Fair kicked off Wednesday and will continue through Labor Day.

Gove. Kathy Hochul kicked off the 2026 Great New York State Fair, celebrating the brand-new FFA Building and highlighting a series of new and returning agricultural offerings and exhibits that will further connect fairgoers to New York agriculture. Hochul helped cut the ribbon on the new 10,500-square-foot FFA Building, which will help develop the next generation of agricultural leaders and support agricultural education, a priority for the Governor. The FFA Building is part of a $34.7 million investment in agricultural facilities at the Fairgrounds and a commitment of $119 million for overall improvements to the grounds since she took office five years ago, in 2021.

This year’s Fair will run from Aug. 26 through Labor Day Monday, Sept. 7.

“There is so much to love about The Great New York State Fair, and at its core, it is a place that truly honors New York’s tremendous agricultural community. I’m proud of the investments we have made in this space and across the entire Fairgrounds over the last five years,” Hochul said in a news release. “I can’t think of a better way to kick off the 2026 Great New York State Fair than by celebrating the opening of a brand new FFA Building, which will allow more young people to learn about and contribute to this important industry while also providing fairgoers an opportunity to get closer to agriculture. As we open the gates today, I encourage visitors from near and far to explore all that the Great New York State Fair has to offer.”

FFA Building

The New York FFA Building, located on the western end of the Fairgrounds, is a 10,500 square foot facility that features a large exhibition space for FFA students to showcase their work to fairgoers, and includes the addition of conference areas and more. The construction of this new space builds on the Governor’s efforts to support The Fair as a premier agricultural showcase and to support youth agricultural education. Governor Hochul officially broke ground on the FFA Building last spring as part of the New York FFA’s 100th anniversary celebration at its annual convention, which was held at the Fairgrounds.

The new building is part of a $34.7 million project to improve agricultural facilities at the Fairgrounds in Syracuse, first announced by the Governor in 2022. In addition to the FFA Building, improvements also included a new show space for goats, completed two years ago, as well as a new Sheep Barn and Wool Center, new horse barn, both of which were completed last year. The Fiscal Year 2026 Budget provided an additional $35 million in capital investments at the Fairgrounds, including upgrading stages at Chevy Court and Suburban Park to enhance the Fair’s entertainment experiences for concertgoers and the Expo Center for year-round festivals and music events, as well as a $3.7 million renovation project of the Milk Bar in the Dairy Products Building. The new project, which is slated to be completed for the 2027 Fair, will include a new look and new location for the Milk Bar, increasing the square footage of the exhibit and allowing for the installation of new state-of-the-art equipment. Together, these will allow the longtime Fair staple to provide strawberry milk, along with white and chocolate milk, for all 13 days of future Fairs.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The new FFA Building offers fairgoers the chance to learn about agriculture and the many career opportunities our industry has to offer. The space will provide fairgoers with a chance to connect with industry professionals, engage with their peers in FFA, and see first-hand how young people can contribute to the future of agriculture. I thank the Governor for her commitment to the New York State Fair and for supporting its agricultural exhibits as well as all the Fair’s unique attractions, exciting entertainment, and delicious food that truly make the Great New York State Fair beyond great.”

State Fair Director Julie LaFave said, “From our time-honored traditions to our new events and attractions, the State Fair truly offers something for everyone. Our new FFA Building represents our commitment to agriculture and is just one of the many new sites across many different areas to explore this year on the Fairgrounds. Our team has worked hard to provide the biggest and best State Fair this year and we’re excited for fairgoers to come see what we have in store for 2026.”