Gov. Andrew Cuomo opened up the first “Preview Day” of the New York State Fair near Syracuse Wednesday. The fair expanded to 13 days this year, with this first day called a preview day because some features, like the animal buildings, aren’t fully open yet. Admission to the fair today was just $1. Rides also cost $1 early in the day.
Cuomo joined local dignitaries to cut the opening day ribbon Wednesday morning. He said the millions of dollars the state has invested in the fairgrounds is finally paying off, and he suggests the revamping of the fair is a metaphor for other state-funded economic development projects upstate.
“Today you could not have a more glorious day to open the fair, and not just in terms of weather but because upstate New York and central New York and this fair are better and stronger and brighter than they have ever been before,” said Cuomo.
The next step in the re-imagining of the state fair is the construction of a new $50 million Expo Center, which Cuomo says will be one of the biggest in the northeast. He predicts it will be finished by the time the 2018 state fair rolls around.
This year’s state fair runs through September 4.