Day 9 at the NYS Fair: Today’s handpicked menu and schedule

Geddes, NY — We’re going to take full advantage of this. After all, today is the 47th Dairy Day at the New York State Fair.

Today is the day when the milk-producing cattle are the real heroes of the fair and we lactose intolerant people just eye the butter sculpture while the “udder” people stuff themselves with 25-cent cups of milky juice.

The day begins at 9 a.m. with the dairy awards ceremony at Daniella’s Seafood and Pasta House, followed by the media milkshake contest in the pavilion behind Chevy Court at 10:30 a.m. The syracuse.com duo are the clear favorites to win again this year, according to online betting sites. (Honestly, we think we’ve found a recipe for success this year. At least, my colleague Sunny Hernandez has.)

Wednesday was Women’s Day here, and 50,700 people came out to celebrate. Among them was Governor Kathy Hochul. She stopped by Basilio’s to enjoy a sausage sandwich with Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, Fair Director Julie LaFave and a group of journalists.

Today’s menu

I’m at the fair every day and night, and hey, a man’s got to eat (and drink). I write about food and drink for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard, so I might as well give you suggestions while I’m working here. But I’m no expert. I rely on readers to tell me what’s good. If you find something that makes your belly happy, text me at 315-382-1984 and I’ll try. Maybe I’ll eat or drink with you and pay the bill.

Late breakfast or early lunch: How did I miss Elm Street Taco for the past two years? Seriously, the food is great. Admittedly, it’s hard to find behind the Expo Center.

Ashley DiBella and her family started this year-round food truck in 2021 and landed a spot at the State Fair a year later. They describe their business as “the killer taco truck of your dreams and maybe your nightmares.”

For breakfast, I recommend a Heart Attack for $7. No, really, have one. It’s their special morning taco.

Ashley starts by grilling a lot of bacon on the grill. While it’s sizzling, she smashes mozzarella cheese between two corn tortillas on the grill. Then she places a few slices of bacon on the taco shells, adds bacon aioli and bacon slaw, and tops it all off with… you guessed it… real bacon bits.

“We’re only going to sell you one of these because we don’t want to take the risk of you actually having a heart attack. Hence the name,” Ashley said.

If you’re still hungry, you can get a Triple Bypass (fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich) from the Fried Specialties booth. But you won’t be hungry. This taco will fill you up.

Beer of the day: Erinn McDowell, the beer garden’s head harvester, got nostalgic as she selected today’s special. The Ithaca College graduate chose a beer that brings back fond memories: Ithaca Apricot Wheat Ale.

“This versatile beer has gotten me through early tailgates, late nights on sticky dance floors and everything in between,” she said. “I would be honored if people stopped by to try the beer that helped me make some of my fondest memories while supporting a pillar of the New York beer scene.”

Remember, today we are all bombers!

Late lunch or early dinner: It must be Taco Thursday at the State Fair because this is all I’ve eaten in the last 24 hours. Today marks the start of the five-day run of Latino Village. The area just behind the Expo Center and West End Bar features entertainment and new booths daily.

These chefs include Kevin and Chris Little and their food truck, Baja Cali Taco Co. They serve these fish tacos for $7 a piece. They fry large beer-battered cod fillets and place them on a bed of cilantro-lime slaw and cheese, topped with their Baja sauce.

This is a good catch for the fair. The Little Brothers always have a long line at all the food truck rodeos, but they’ve never brought their food here before. They’ll be serving beef and chicken tacos, supreme nachos and quesadillas.

» Detailed daily schedule for Thursday, August 29

Concerts

1/10

» Tom Nitti, 1 p.m. at Chevy Court

» Chapel Hart, 6 p.m. at Chevy Court

» Flo Rida, 8pm in Suburban Park

Today’s forecast: Enjoy the sunshine before it possibly rains at night

Fair principles

Hours: The fair is open daily from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. The buildings are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Midway is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., but closes at 9 p.m. on Labor Day.

Tickets: Admission to the fair is $8 for an adult. Seniors 65 and older are admitted free. Children 12 and under are admitted free. You can purchase tickets in advance online. You cannot purchase tickets with cash at the entrance – you must purchase them on your phone or at a kiosk at the entrance.

Park: Parking is $12 per car this year, up from $10 last year. You CANNOT pay with EZ Pass Plus, but you can pay with a credit card at the entrance to the parking lot. You can also purchase parking passes in advance online.

Further rules: Smoking is only permitted outside the gates in designated areas. You can bring coolers with food and non-alcoholic beverages. Pets are not allowed unless they are working dogs or participating in a competition. Visitors must wear a shirt and shoes. Last call for alcohol is 10:30 p.m. each day.

State Fair Newsletter: Stay up to date on all the New York State Fair news, food, music, events and more with our free newsletter, emailed to you each morning. Click here to sign up.

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Charlie Miller finds the best food, drinks and entertainment in all of Central New York. Contact him at (315) 382-1984 or email at [email protected]. (AND he pays for what he and his guests eat and drink, just so you know.) You can also find him at @HoosierCuse on Þjórsárden and further Instagram. Sign up for his weekly Where Syracuse Eats newsletter here.