Smoking at next State Fair to be limited to designated areas

GEDDES, N.Y. — Smokers who plan to attend this summer’s New York State Fair will only be allowed to light up in certain areas of the Fairgrounds.

The New York State Fair plans to ban smoking on nearly the entire Fairgrounds for the 2022 Fair, creating small, designated outdoor smoking areas. 

The policy seeks to “increase the comfort of fairgoers,” the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets said Dec. 29. The department operates the State Fair.

The new policy only covers the Fair. Smoking policies for non-Fair events will remain the responsibility of individual event promoters in accordance with state law. 

Smoking is already prohibited by law inside Fairgrounds’ buildings and by policy at the Fair’s Chevy Court and Chevy Park concert venues, the department noted. It still needs to determine the locations for the designated areas.

“Smoking always ranks high on the list of issues fairgoers want us to tackle and the issue was particularly acute this year,” Troy Waffner, director of the New York State Fair, said in a release. “We’re pleased to take this action to make the Fair as comfortable and family-friendly as possible for everyone.”

“I applaud the New York State Fair for protecting the health of the community by taking steps to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke for all those working at and visiting the Fairgrounds,” Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta said. “With smoking in Onondaga County and NYS at an all-time low, this is an important step to create an environment that not only protects our vulnerable but also supports those who have quit or are trying to quit, all while maintaining a family-friendly and fun event.”