It’s time for the Great New York State Fair, everyone! The annual spectacle has finally arrived whether you enjoy it or not. This may signify the last hurrah before the school year begins, and other around town offerings may slow down. However, CNY events and adventures are still prominent. Here’s a mix of activities to enjoy this weekend if you do attend the fair or decide to avoid it.
Sea Lion Splash
Where: Youth Activity Center, NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 28 | 12:45 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6 p.m.
Cost: Free with Fair Admission: $10 | (800) 475-FAIR
Swifty Swine Racing Pigs
Where: Kiddieland, NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 28 | 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 5 p.m.
Cost: Free with Fair Admission: $10 | (800) 475-FAIR
Lucinda Williams
Where: State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 W. State St., Ithaca
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 | noon
Cost: $35 | (607) 277-8283
Spaceship Days
Where: Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S. Main St., Homer
When: Friday, Aug. 26 | 8 p.m.
Cost: $23/general, $20/seniors, $18/students, free/military, vets, children under 18 | (607) 749-4900
Ridgestock
Where: The Ridge Golf Course & Tavern, 1281 Salt Springs Road Chittenango
When: Saturday, Aug. 27 | 1 p.m.
Cost: $25, $100/pack of 5 | 687-6900
April Macie
Thursday | 7:30 p.m.
Friday | 7:30 p.m. & 9:45 p.m.
Saturday | 7 p.m. & 9:45 p.m.
Sunday | 7:30 p.m.
Where: Funny Bone Comedy Club, Destiny USA, Syracuse
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 28
Cost: $10/Thursday & Sunday, $12/Friday & Saturday | 423-8669
Celebrate the Tubman $20
Where: Matilda Joslyn Gage Center, 210 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville
When: Friday, Aug. 26 | 5:30 p.m.
Cost: $20/advance, $25/door | 637-9511
Taste NY Wine & Cheese Seminars
Where: Horticulture Building, NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 28 | 2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m.
Cost: Free with Fair Admission: $10 | (800) 475-FAIR
Treasure Island
Thursday | 7:30 p.m.
Friday | 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Saturday | 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Where: Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Emerson Park, 6877 E. Lake Road, Auburn
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Saturday, Aug. 27
Cost: $45-$55/adults, $42-$52/seniors, $25/students and ages under 22 | 255-1785, (800) 457-8897
The Melvins
Where: The Westcott Theater, 524 Westcott St.
When: Friday, Aug. 26 | 9 p.m.
Cost: $20/advance, $25/door | 422-3511.
Ani DiFranco
Where: Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards, 2708 Lords Hill Road, LaFayette
When: Saturday, Aug. 27 | 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $30/advance, $35/door | 422-3511
All baseball games are played at NBT Stadium, 1 Tex Simone Dr, Syracuse. Box office phone: 474-7833.
Dollar Thursday / ZOOperstars
Opponent: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRaiders
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 | 6:35 p.m.
Cost: $5-$12 | Buy Online
Fireworks Friday
Opponent: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
When: Friday, Aug. 26 | 7:05 p.m.
Cost: $5-$12 | Buy Online
Super Saturday / SU Athletics Night
Opponent: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
When: Saturday, Aug. 27 | 7:05 p.m.
Cost: $5-$12 | Buy Online
Family Sunday / Back to School
Opponent: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
When: Sunday, Aug. 28 | 1:05 p.m.
Cost: $5-$12 | Buy Online
The Fairgrounds is located at 581 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse.
*Free with $10 fair admission, of course.
Thursday, Aug. 25: Opening Day / Governor’s Day
2 p.m. | Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
8 p.m. | Kesha
Friday, Aug. 26: Law Enforcement Day / Pride Day
2 p.m. | Braiden Sunshine & Chance Pena
8 p.m. | Toto
Saturday, Aug. 27: Unofficial Just Another Day Day
2 p.m. | Magic!
8 p.m. | Dashboard Confessional
Sunday, Aug. 28: Unofficial Sunday Funday Day
2 p.m. | Air Supply
8 p.m. | Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers
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Animal Antics
Birds of Prey Where: State Park, NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 28 | 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. Cost: Free with Fair Admission: $10 | (800) 475-FAIRSea Lion Splash
Where: Youth Activity Center, NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 28 | 12:45 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6 p.m.
Cost: Free with Fair Admission: $10 | (800) 475-FAIR
Swifty Swine Racing Pigs
Where: Kiddieland, NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 28 | 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 5 p.m.
Cost: Free with Fair Admission: $10 | (800) 475-FAIR
Music
Lucinda Williams
Where: State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 W. State St., Ithaca
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 | noon
Cost: $35 | (607) 277-8283
Spaceship Days
Where: Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S. Main St., Homer
When: Friday, Aug. 26 | 8 p.m.
Cost: $23/general, $20/seniors, $18/students, free/military, vets, children under 18 | (607) 749-4900
Ridgestock
Where: The Ridge Golf Course & Tavern, 1281 Salt Springs Road Chittenango
When: Saturday, Aug. 27 | 1 p.m.
Cost: $25, $100/pack of 5 | 687-6900
Miscellany
April Macie
Thursday | 7:30 p.m.
Friday | 7:30 p.m. & 9:45 p.m.
Saturday | 7 p.m. & 9:45 p.m.
Sunday | 7:30 p.m.
Where: Funny Bone Comedy Club, Destiny USA, Syracuse
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 28
Cost: $10/Thursday & Sunday, $12/Friday & Saturday | 423-8669
Celebrate the Tubman $20
Where: Matilda Joslyn Gage Center, 210 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville
When: Friday, Aug. 26 | 5:30 p.m.
Cost: $20/advance, $25/door | 637-9511
Taste NY Wine & Cheese Seminars
Where: Horticulture Building, NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 28 | 2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m.
Cost: Free with Fair Admission: $10 | (800) 475-FAIR
Stage
Steve Martin’s WASP and Other Plays Where: Central New York Playhouse, Shoppingtown Mall, 3649 Erie Blvd. E. When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Saturday, Aug. 27 | 8 p.m. performances Cost: $17/Thursday, $20/Friday & Saturday | 885-8960 Kitchen Witches Where: Cortland Repertory Theatre, 6799 Little York Lake Road, Preble When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Saturday, Aug. 27 | 7:30 p.m. performances Cost: $29-$31/evenings, $24-$26/matinees | (607) 756-7627, (800) 427-6160Treasure Island
Thursday | 7:30 p.m.
Friday | 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Saturday | 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Where: Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Emerson Park, 6877 E. Lake Road, Auburn
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 – Saturday, Aug. 27
Cost: $45-$55/adults, $42-$52/seniors, $25/students and ages under 22 | 255-1785, (800) 457-8897
Editor’s Picks
Curtis Salgado Where: Funk ‘N Waffles, 307 S. Clinton St., Syracuse When: Friday, Aug. 26 | 9 p.m. Cost: $15/advance, $20/doorThe Melvins
Where: The Westcott Theater, 524 Westcott St.
When: Friday, Aug. 26 | 9 p.m.
Cost: $20/advance, $25/door | 422-3511.
Ani DiFranco
Where: Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards, 2708 Lords Hill Road, LaFayette
When: Saturday, Aug. 27 | 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $30/advance, $35/door | 422-3511
Take me out to the Chiefs Game…
All baseball games are played at NBT Stadium, 1 Tex Simone Dr, Syracuse. Box office phone: 474-7833.
Dollar Thursday / ZOOperstars
Opponent: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRaiders
When: Thursday, Aug. 25 | 6:35 p.m.
Cost: $5-$12 | Buy Online
Fireworks Friday
Opponent: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
When: Friday, Aug. 26 | 7:05 p.m.
Cost: $5-$12 | Buy Online
Super Saturday / SU Athletics Night
Opponent: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
When: Saturday, Aug. 27 | 7:05 p.m.
Cost: $5-$12 | Buy Online
Family Sunday / Back to School
Opponent: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
When: Sunday, Aug. 28 | 1:05 p.m.
Cost: $5-$12 | Buy Online
Free* Chevy Court Shows
The Fairgrounds is located at 581 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse.
*Free with $10 fair admission, of course.
Thursday, Aug. 25: Opening Day / Governor’s Day
2 p.m. | Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
8 p.m. | Kesha
Friday, Aug. 26: Law Enforcement Day / Pride Day
2 p.m. | Braiden Sunshine & Chance Pena
8 p.m. | Toto
Saturday, Aug. 27: Unofficial Just Another Day Day
2 p.m. | Magic!
8 p.m. | Dashboard Confessional
Sunday, Aug. 28: Unofficial Sunday Funday Day
2 p.m. | Air Supply
8 p.m. | Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers
Weather Forecast
(Subject to change, of course.) THURSDAY Temperature: 85 degrees / 70 degrees Conditions: Rain the first day of the Fair: Sign of good luck. FRIDAY Temperature: 84 degrees / 62 degrees Conditions: A little bit of rain never dissolved anybody. SATURDAY Temperature: 80 degrees / 58 degrees Conditions: Sunshine Saturday. SUNDAY Temperature: 86 degrees / 60 degrees Conditions: Lookin’ good.
