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WCNY At The Great New York State Fair

WCNY At The Great New York State Fair

Syracuse, New York is the official home of the New York State Fair, one of the oldest fair in the nation. Beginning with the first Fair in 1841, the annual event has showcased New York's agricultural history with exhibits, competitions, entertainment and of course, food! Today, it is a 12-day celebration of New York State's people and products, with every fairgoer citing a must see, do, or eat favorite.

Watch our State Fair History in a Minute videos to learn about some of the favorite attractions and tall tales from past fairs (the rooster and the diamond earring story is not to be missed!). And for budding videographers ages 17 and under, create your own short video about your experiences at the 2011 Fair and enter it into WCNY's FairFlix contest. (see contest entry information below).

And don't forget to join WCNY for fun at the Fair! Our booth, next to the Center of Progress Building, will feature live entertainment from 4 – 6 pm, August 25-September 4 as well as daily raffles and giveaways and Clifford the Big Red Dog in the Fair's daily parade. Active duty military personnel and veterans and their families are encouraged to visit the WCNY booth on September 1 (Veteran's Day at the Fair) for free gifts (while supplies last). And at The NewTimes Theater in the Art & Home Center you can watch WCNY documentaries including Arctic Air: A Greenlandic Journey with the 109th, Dream Destinations New York's Contemporary Canals and Immigrants in the Lead: The Story of New York in air-conditioned comfort.

See you at the Fair!

Multimedia

State Fair History in A Minute

Enjoy a light-hearted look at some memorable moments in the history of the great New York State Fair with our six State Fair History in A Minute selections.

  • The Big Cheese!

    What's yellow, round and weighs six tons? Something this cheesy could only be seen at the NYS Fair!

  • Harriet!

    The NYS Fair's current Women's Building, which opened in 1934, was named for Harriet May Mills, a prominent woman's suffragist and the first woman to be nominated for statewide office in NY by a major political party.

  • To The Races!

    The early history of horse, motor and even airplane racing at the NYS Fair.

  • Rooster Thief!

    The story of a rooster eating a diamond earring off the ear of a 1893 Fairgoer who got just a little too close to the rooster's cage.

  • Whale!

    Entrepreneurial NJ fisherman turns beached whale into a State Fair sensation.

  • Wonder Wheel!

    40 years before the official recognition of the Famous Ferris Wheel, the NYS Fair may have been host to an early predecessor.

Other Media

FairFlix Contest Information

WCNY is looking for the best video experiences of the 2011 New York State Fair, created by contestants ages 17 years or younger. Videos may be submitted any day of the Fair, from August 25 – September 5, with the FairFlix winner announced on September 9.

To Enter:

  • Create your video capturing your experiences at the 2011 NYS Fair per the video requirements listed below and upload it to YouTube.
  • Fill out and submit via email the online entry form to the WCNY email address on the form. Be sure to include the name(s) of your parents and a phone number where WCNY can reach them to verify their permission for you to participate in the contest.
  • Only those videos submitted to YouTube are eligible to win.
  • Limit one entry per person.

Video Requirements:

  1. Video must be no more than 3 minutes in length.
  2. As long as you can upload your video to YouTube, you can shoot video in whatever format you like.
  3. Video must be original content created by the entrant.
  4. Videos may not contain copyrighted material, or anything that is false, unlawful, obscene, violent, threatening, harassing, hateful or offensive to any person or group.

Judging Criteria:

The staff of WCNY will judge the contest videos utilizing the following criteria:

  • Quality
  • Creativity
  • Originality
  • Overall presentation

Three finalists will be selected and one winner from those finalists selected and announced on our website on September 9. The winner will receive a WCNY gift package and will have his/her video broadcast on WCNY-TV as well as posted on the WCNY website.

FairFlix Contest Online Registration Form

Video Title:
YouTube URL:
First Name:
Last Name:
Your Age:
Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Phone:
E-Mail:
Parent Name(s):
Parent Phone Number:
Yes, I have read the official FairFlix Contest Information including video requirements and agree to the terms.
Yes, my parent(s) has read and agrees to the terms of the WCNY Performance/Visual Release for Minors requirements.