New York State Fair attendance tops 1.1 million this year, a new record

GEDDES — More than 1.1 million people attended the New York State Fair in Geddes during its 12-day run, beating the previous record of 1,011,248 set in 2001.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo appeared at the Fair on Monday, the final day, to announce the attendance record.

The total attendance figure for this year’s Fair is 1,117,630, Cuomo’s office said in a news release issued Tuesday, representing the highest attendance in the event’s 175-year history. This year’s attendance was up 23 percent over last year.

Cuomo yesterday marked the record by shattering a block of ice in the shape of the previous record at a celebration in the Fair’s Empire Room.

He also presented four lifetime passes and several Fair-related gifts to the record-setting visitors, a family of four from Onondaga County.

New York has invested millions to upgrade the State Fairgrounds. The improvements in the $50 million plan include a new main gate, which is “reminiscent” of the carriage gate that greeted fairgoers in 1900, Cuomo’s office said.

The improvements also include more open spaces, walking paths and landscaping throughout the grounds, additional seating and shade, a larger and newly reconfigured Midway, a new 315-site Empire recreational-vehicle (RV) park, and underground-infrastructure improvements.

The $50 million project also includes a new exposition center and equestrian facilities, set for completion by July 2017.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com