Voting opens for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County, Hoover Dairy 'Fair-ly New' ice cream flavor contest

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Cornell Cooperative Extension | Niagara County announced public voting is now open for the 2026 “Fair-ly New” ice cream flavor contest. The public can vote here until June 29. The winning flavor will be made by Hoover’s Dairy in Niagara County and sold exclusively at the Niagara County Fair (Aug. 5-9)

Flavors competing for the crown include:

•“Sparks fly”: Vanilla base with yellow lemon crinkle cookie swirls and pop rocks that burst with every bite; vanilla base with yellow lemon crinkle cookie swirls and Pop Rocks

•“Fairway to Heaven”: Tastes like walking through the fairgrounds; vanilla bean with funnel cake pieces, cinnamon sugar swirl and caramel ribbons.

•“Midnight Summer Sky”: A delicious and fresh blueberry ice cream with marshmallow swirls and white chocolate shavings – a perfect scoop representing the midnight summer sky; blueberry with marshmallow swirl and white chocolate shavings

•“Grandma’s cherry pie”: Vanilla ice cream with cherry pie filling swirls and shortbread pie crust pieces

•“Star-Spangled Swirls”: Celebrate America's 250th anniversary with this festive red, white, and blue vanilla ice cream with a swirl of tart red cherry and sweet blueberry; thrown in is red and blue popping candy coated in white chocolate that can pop in one’s mouth like it’s a real firework!

The 2026 Niagara County Fair ice cream flavor contest, sponsored by Hoover's Dairy, is open to all community members. One vote per email address.

A top flavor will be announced June 30. The winner will receive a one-week pass to the Niagara County Fair, five coupons for ice cream at the milk bar, and a T-shirt. Runners-up will receive one milk bar coupon.

For more contest rules, visit the CCE Niagara website at https://cceniagaracounty.org/.

Hoover Dairy is a destination establishment in Niagara County. Known for its homemade ice creams and milks, it’s working closely with CCE Niagara to put a fresh flavor on old-fashioned fun.

“We are thrilled to bring back the ‘Fair-ly New’ ice cream contest for a second consecutive year,” said Amanda Henning, CCE Niagara interim executive director. “We are so grateful to our partners at Hoover Daily for their support and their expert ice cream craftsmanship in making this year’s winner a reality."

Last year’s flavor, “S’More Fun,” developed by Newfane resident Cecelia Mecca, was a huge hit. It was made of chocolate ice cream, loaded with mini marshmallows and studded with chocolate-covered graham crackers.