Niagara County Fair opens Aug. 2 with 5 days of fun at fairgrounds

By Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

The 2023 edition of the Niagara County Fair opens Wednesday, Aug. 2, for five days of fun at the fairgrounds, 4467 Lake Ave., Lockport.

Presented by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County, this fair is regarded as the largest youth-oriented event of its type in New York. It continues to Sunday, Aug. 6, with upward of 50,000 visitors expected.

It all gets underway at 8 a.m. Wednesday with opening ceremonies and the return of the Farm-City Breakfast, found this year next to the Milk Bar on the fairgrounds. The event is sponsored by Niagara County Community College in cooperation with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County.

Organizer Donna Eick posted on Facebook, “The kids work hard all year with projects and taking excellent care of their animals and so deserve to be recognized and encouraged. 4-H offers outstanding life lessons.”

For ticket information on the breakfast, contact Eick at 716-622-2001.

4-H is a big part of this year’s happening, with youth members from throughout Niagara County expected to participate in a number of animal shows, science-based displays, competitions and programs for awards and prizes. A sampling of 4-H events on the fair schedule includes horse shows; swine, beef cattle and diary cattle expositions; rabbit shows; dairy milking demonstrations; poultry displays; sheep displays and feline shows.

“These young people are working hard to earn Excellent (blue), Good (red) or Worthy (white) ribbons and to earn the honor of representing Niagara County at the NY State Fair,” the Cornell Cooperative Extension stated in a release.

From Wednesday through Sunday, visitors can also check out a host of activities on the fairgrounds. These include a full schedule of 4-H programs; events such as pie baking competitions; daily entertainment with 13 live performances scheduled; plus historical and educational displays; K-9 and police demonstrations; the spectacular midway, vendors, foods and beverage offerings, and games galore.

Organizers report entries are still being accepted for the pie-baking competition, which is open to any amateur pie baker of any age who is a state resident. No professional bakers are permitted. Entry classes include cherry, berry, cream, apple, savory, grown in New York, peach and specialty/other.

For more information, contact Amanda Henning at 716-433-8839, ext. 231.

The WNY Home Wine Competition 2023 is open to all amateur winemakers and cider makers, ages 21 and over, who are residents of New York or Southern Ontario. Entry continues to July 28. For more information on categories and entry procedures, contact Henning at the above number.

Hours for this year’s fair are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $10 per person, with children age 6 and under admitted free. On Sunday, fair admission is $20 per carload or $7 per person.

For more information, including the full schedule, a listing of fair foods, performers and ride ticket prices, visit https://cceniagaracounty.org/niagara-county-fair or call 716-433-8839.