Fair officials say the total attendance at the 2026 Great New York State Fair was 962,795 guests, up from 925,989 in 2025. More than 70,000 (70,383) people visited the fair on Labor Day alone.
Third Eye Blind’s performance, which tied for the second-largest concert in the Fair’s history, drew nearly 49,000 attendees.
According to Fair director Julie Lafave, there were some ups and downs, but ultimately, it was a great fair.
“Weather sometimes is a little tricky. This year was a little more tricky than normal, but I think we made the right call,” Lafave said. “But we’ve had a lot of sunny skies. We saw one day with the highest number since 2019.”
Ultimately, while there were challenges, Lafave said they are grateful for all of the visitors to the Great New York State Fair.
“The greatest reward always for any of us that work the 12 months to see this fair come into completion is seeing the kid happy with their blue ribbon, or seeing a large concert crowd or seeing someone try something new,” Lafave said. “The rewards are all around us all of the time, you just have to stop to see it.”
The 2027 Great New York State Fair opens Wednesday, August 25, 2027.