New York State Fair comes to a close with nearly 1 million visitors

Just five miles from Syracuse University’s campus, the Great New York State Fair welcomed more than 40 national recording acts, hundreds of attractions and all the fried food one could imagine. 

The oldest and most affordable fair in the United States ran from Aug. 26 to Sept. 7 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes. The fair’s 13-day run brought 962,795 visitors, over 36,000 more than last year.

Visitors experienced the best of agriculture, with local food and beverages from all 10 regions of New York State. As well as endless entertainment options, from circus performers to corgi races to a one-man band. 

The 2026 fair’s concert lineup had something for every music taste. Robin Thicke, Stella Lefty, Wyclef Jean, Flo Rida and more took the Suburban Park and Chevy Court stages over the 13-day event. Next year’s fair will run from Aug. 25 to Sept. 6, 2027.

Fairgoers swapped traditional concert attire for ogre ears and Shrek costumes Friday night, as the Shrek Rave took over Chevy Court at the New York State Fair.

As the DJ hit the stage at 9 p.m. on Sept. 4, fans began to chant “Shrek! Shrek! Shrek!,” offering fairgoers a different experience from the traditional concerts featured on the fair’s 13-day run. The rave combined electronic dance music with visual references to the Shrek movies, turning Chevy Court into a late-night celebration of the animated franchise.

The rave featured “Shrekno,” an immersive experience that uses 360-degree projections, animations of characters and synchronized lighting. The visuals kept fans engaged as they were dancing, giving them something to watch while enjoying the music. Fans were also encouraged to dress as their favorite characters, making not just the visuals stand out, but the crowd too. 

Throughout the night, the event leaned heavily into the humor and nostalgia that have kept the Shrek franchise popular more than two decades after the first movie was released. Songs associated with the films, including “All Star” and “I’m a Believer,” were among the familiar references promoted as part of the rave experience.

The crowd was a mixed millennial group excited to step back into their childhood. 

With flashing lights, recognizable characters and a crowd ready to embrace the unusual theme, the Shrek Rave transformed a piece of the New York State Fair into its own version of the swamp.

The ogre-themed event showed how the state fair’s entertainment lineup goes beyond traditional live performances.

– Love Johnson

Millennial nostalgia is a powerful economic and cultural force, and it was on full display at the Chevy Court stage on Thursday, September 3rd at the Jesse McCartney concert. Fans crowded the seats sporting Abercrombie & Fitch and Aeropostale. The lawn was cluttered with tailgating chairs–the knees don’t hold up like they used to at outdoor concerts!–as young kids ran around with their rapidly approaching middle aged parents looking on. 

The staff handed out branded “JMac” friendship bracelets in anticipation of the aughts heartthrob to step onto the stage. To keep the energy up, the playlist piped through the speakers hinted at the types of songs and emotions to come: Olivia Rodrigo’s “The Cure,” Justin Bieber’s “Beauty and the Beat” featuring Nicki Minaj, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary.”

When McCartney finally came onstage, a more weathered face gazed at the crowd. Dressed in low-waist baggy jeans styled with Doc Martens, light jewelry, and a Hollister-looking plaid button down, McCartney’s signature puckish charm was still very much alive. He moved about the stage with hip-pops, artful crotch grabs and other classic boy band moves like the step-touch, and the shoulder shimmy. 

His opening numbers were a medley of songs old and new, and true J-Macers sang along the whole time. But the show took a turn when he picked someone from the crowd to invite on stage. Ebony, a local from Syracuse, sat on a stool as McCartney serenaded her with his sweet song “Party for Two.” In a song about proposing to his wife, McCartney knelt down on one knee in a mock proposal in the pre-chorus to the bridge: “Cause a gold heart need a gold ring // a good girl is a rare thing.” Ebony was vibrating as he kissed her hand.

From his acoustic set, McCartney sat down at a keyboard with a preamble about his next song. “This is the biggest song of my writing career,” he said. At the piano, McCartney taps the keys and croons: “closed off from love // I didn’t need the pain.” The rendition lurches; the drums rush in. The audience awash in sound is transported to 2007 scream-singing “Bleeding Love,” the song Leona Lewis made infamous.

McCartney then puts his foot on the accelerator, speed-running his hits. “Bleeding Love” melts into the plucky opening beats of “Body Language,” as the crowd takes on the T-Pain part. “Dulce,” “How Do You Sleep,” and “Better With You” give way to the penultimate song “Weightless,” a slower number that McCartney describes as illustrative of his mental and emotional state the past couple of years. 

The concert is in the end-game now. He runs off stage to build up anticipation. Shouts of “Jess-e, Jess-e, Jess-e” reach a fever pitch. “Let’s take it back to 2004, Syracuse,” he shouts, as he runs to the stage’s apron. The beginning chords strike and shrieks drown out the opening notes. “Beautiful Soul” joins Hoobstank’s “The Reason,” Usher’s “Yeah” featuring Lil’ Jon and Ludacris, and Christina Milan’s “Dip it Low” as one of the truly inescapable songs that year. 

The crowd galvanized by their own memories of adolescence reach a collective catharsis with this song. As McCartney closes, he says he is thankful to be back on stage and runs off as his guitarist and drummer continue to riff.

The crowd empties out, depleted and full after more than 80 minutes.  

– Aaron Sayama

Photo by Love Johnson

Ashanti performs Monday on the Suburban Park Stage at the New York State Fair.

R&B singer Ashanti brought early 2000s nostalgia to the New York State Fair, where thousands gathered on a rainy Monday night to watch her take the stage.

Ashanti opened her performance with her hit song “Rock wit U (Awww Baby),” sending the crowd into a frenzy. Despite the rainy weather, fans remained throughout the performance, singing along as she performed songs from across her illustrious 20-year career.

During the show, Ashanti repeatedly expressed her gratitude to the crowd for continuing to support her music throughout the decades. She also reflected on the early years of her career, and the criticisms she’s faced.

“People have always said I will always be a one-hit wonder, but look at me now, 20 years later,” Ashanti told the crowd.

Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas began performing professionally in the early 2000s and quickly took off following the release of her self-titled debut album, Ashanti, in 2002. The album featured some of the songs that helped establish her as one of the most recognizable voices of early 2000s R&B, including “Happy” and “Baby.”

More than 20 years later in central New York, Ashanti told fans at the fair that she is revisiting the project that helped launch her career. She revealed plans to re-record her debut album, a move that will allow her to own the masters of the new recordings.

The audience greeted Ashanti’s goal with excitement, cheering her on as she discussed the benefits of reclaiming power over her discography. 

Ashanti’s New York State Fair performance offered longtime listeners a chance to revisit songs they grew up with while also celebrating the next chapter of her career. Even as rain continued to fall, fans stayed engaged, sang along and cheered as Ashanti turned the fairgrounds into a celebration. 

She ended her performance with her biggest hit solo, “Foolish.” Fans sang along word for word, cheering loudly as the concert came to a close.

– Love Johnson

As the sun set on the New York State Fair, background dancers walked onto the stage as the overflowing crowd of festivalgoers counted down Jamaican rapper and singer Sean Paul’s appearance Thursday night.

“If you came to party, keep your hands up high,” Paul said into his rhinestone microphone.

The crowd, filled with people of all ages, was automatically in sync with Paul’s energy. Paul directed festivalgoers to sway their arms in the air throughout his performance. Although it wasn’t necessary since the fans were already waving their arms up high and swaying to the beat of his music without his command. It’s as if there was an unspoken understanding between Paul and the crowd that everyone wanted to have a good party time.

Paul performed many of his most popular songs, such as “I’m Still in Love with You” and “Get Busy”. He also sprinkled in some newer songs, such as “Ready for the Ride.” The crowd wasn’t as familiar with it; however, they were still carrying the energy, dancing and cheering.

The Jamaican artist dedicated many of his songs to the ladies of the crowd. Paul prioritized his female attendees, making sure they were constantly having a good time and enjoying the show.

“We love the female-kind. And the ladies right now, they have given so much to us. We appreciate you because you bring life,” Paul said.

With all the smoke cannons and rhythmic dancing coming from the stage, Paul made sure that his show created an infectious and joyful energy amongst the crowd. His performance lasted more than 90 minutes and the open grass field he sang to felt like a packed night club. 

“If you love life, make some noise,” Paul shouted to the crowd. Paul sang “Rockabye” by Clean Bandit right after.

Throughout his show, Paul threw sweat rags into the crowd and continuously interacted with them, leaving no room for dull moments.

The audience was filled with people singing along and moving their hips to Paul’s closing song, “Temperature”.

– Maili Maldonado

By 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, seats at the Suburban Park stage were filled with anticipated fair and concert goers. As the sun began to set, the crowd continued to grow, showcasing a strong start to the fair. The excitement was justified, being that The All-American Rejects had previously been on a decade-long hiatus from touring and just recently debuted their album “Sandbox” in May 2026, after almost 15 years without an album release. Fans could be heard anxiously talking amongst one another about what songs the band would play. 

As excitement continued to flood the park, 95X radio host Jack Ryan took the stage to introduce the band with a nostalgia-filled speech. Ryan and I spoke briefly about the band and the popularity it’s garnered in recent years from viral TikTok usage of their songs.

“I give credit to Gen Z for reigniting interest in the band,” Ryan said.

He spoke of his excitement seeing millennials and Gen Zers uniting alongside each other to celebrate a band that shaped early-to-mid 2000’s pop punk and alternative rock.

The All-American Rejects came onto the stage with “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show playing in the background; a fitting tribute song to the passing of legendary actor Tim Curry, whose death was only announced hours before. 

Frontman Tyson Ritter could be seen running across stage barefoot wearing baggy-cuffed jeans and an oversized shirt with the sleeves cut off. The rest of the band members followed Ritter as they took center stage.

“Let’s do the ‘Time Warp,’ here’s a 2002 for you,” Ritter exclaimed as the band launched into “Swing-Swing,” prompting shocked gasps from the crowd as they sang the lyrics. 

The All-American Rejects delivered a high-energy performance early on with songs like “Easy Come, Easy Go” and “Get This” off of their recent album. Lead guitarist Nick Wheeler brought sweet guitar riffs with strong power stances, projecting maximum power into the crowd. In between songs, Ritter could be heard playfully wooing the crowd with his memorable persona.

“Syracuse Girls are so pretty,” Ritter proclaimed as the band began “Beekeepers Daughter.” 

Guitarist Mike Kennerty and drummer Chris Gaylor showcased impressively erratic performances, with Kennerty seen enthusiastically running and jumping all over the stage throughout the night. The crowd responded strongly to the band’s stage presence, the energy amplifying during performances like “Dirty Little Secret” and “Move Along.” 

The group also took a moment to pay tribute to the passing of celebrated country singer and philanthropist Dolly Parton with Ritter performing his own rendition of “I Will Always Love You.” His deep vocals stretched out into the arena as the crowd silently listened.

The performance built to a memorable finish with crowd-surfing stuffed animals being brought to stage and Ritter pointing toward the crowd to bring up a young local girl to play the drums. The crowd cheered on the girl as the band closed out their show with their biggest hit, “Give You Hell,” a strong start to the fair’s nearly two-week run and an even stronger end to the show.

– Alejandrina Perez

For many people at the New York State Fair on Wednesday, the trip to Chevy Court was more than just another concert.

It was a chance to hear the music they grew up with.

The Commodores took the stage Wednesday afternoon, bringing generations of fans together for a set filled with tracks that have made the group a staple in funk, soul, and R&B.

Older fans came out to Chevy Court to enjoy the music they knew by heart, while younger generations sang along to some of the group’s biggest hits.

The group kicked off the afternoon with their signature hits like “Easy,” “Sail On,” and “Brick House” that had the crowd singing, dancing, and raising their phones in the air to capture the moment.

For some fans, hearing these songs live brought back memories from decades ago, but for others, it was an opportunity to experience an artist that their family members first introduced them to. 

William “WAK” King, one of the original members of The Commodores, performed alongside Brent Carter and the sons of former Commodores member Walter “Clyde” Orange, Cody and Colin Orange. 

It was clear that the connection between generations was not only in the crowd, but also onstage.

The performance only showed how The Commodores’ legacy was visibly prevalent and that their music continues to reach audiences to this day.

The Mean Machine backed the group throughout the performance, providing the rhythm behind the familiar songs like “Brick House”, which brought out the biggest energy of the afternoon. 

But the afternoon was not only about the biggest hits.

It was about seeing people come together through music that has remained part of their lives for generations.

The Commodores gave the older generation a reason to come out to the fair, relive memories and enjoy the music of their younger years. At the same time, they gave younger fans a chance to experience the songs that have been passed down through their families.

The singing and dancing didn’t stop for the whole performance. For one afternoon at the New York State Fair, The Commodores reminded everyone that some songs never get old. They just get passed down.

– Santino Castillo Jr.