New York State Fair vendors adjust to pandemic, financial uncertainty
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New York State Fair vendors are waiting for a decision. As they work to keep their businesses afloat, they’re unsure the state will hold the 18-day fair in August.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in late April that the state must be fully reopened to host the fair. He also warned New York regions that month to avoid “attractive nuisances” like fairs, which bring in a large number of visitors to the area and could allow the coronavirus to spread. The state fair attracted over a million visitors in 2019.
The New York State Fair declined to comment on whether the fair will take place this summer. Every region of New York was in at least the first stage of reopening as of Wednesday. Central New York, the home of the state fair, entered phase three on Friday.
Vendors told The Daily Orange that they’ll hear about Cuomo’s decision when the public does. As fairs across the northeast are canceled, some local vendors have sought out additional means of generating income and pursuing traditions this summer.
This summer marks 60 years since Villa Pizze Fritte first appeared at the New York State Fair. Founded by Grazi Zazzara Sr. in 1960, Pizze Fritte has grown into a fair staple.
Until a decision is made regarding the state fair, Pizze Fritte has been using the fair’s now-desolate grounds to offer drive-thru dining services. The fried dough vendor has also set up a drive-in movie theater at the fairgrounds’ Orange Lot, Zazzara Sr. said.
While the drive-thru helps local customers satisfy a sweet tooth, it pales in comparison to the revenue influx that the state fair brings its vendors, Zazzara Sr. said.
“Nothing anybody does compares to the state fair,” Zazzara Sr. said. “A hundred thousand people, a million people over a ten day period, that’s a different animal.”
Butcher Boys and Ann Lynn Winery, who are frequent vendors at the fair, have also been participating in the drive-thrus over the last few weeks. Will Scannell, co-owner of the food stand Butcher Boys, said the take-out service has been a success.
Drive-thrus could be a long-term alternative for the state fair, especially for businesses that depend on events with large crowds for their main source of revenue, he said. Though nearly 10 fairs have canceled on hosting Butcher Boys this summer, Scannell’s food stand has been collaborating with fair organizers to schedule the drive-thrus for the rest of the year.
“The industry as a whole is really struggling because this is how we live and things are being canceled left and right,” he said. “Not everybody is ready to just take a vacation for the rest of the year. It’s not that easy.”
Michelle McFarland, manager of Ashley Lynn Winery, said the winery’s employees spend all year preparing products and displays for the state fair.
The winery tests new products at the fair because of the large crowds the event brings, she said. While the employees attend many festivals, most of which have been canceled this summer, the New York State Fair is their best event, McFarland said.
Marie Pelton and Jim Victor, who have created the fair’s famous butter sculpture for the past 17 years, would normally be designing their idea for this year’s sculpture now. They can’t begin sculpting until they hear a final decision about the fair.
If the fair is canceled or made virtual, they would still like to present a sculpture online in their driveway or in a booth in Syracuse, Victor said.
“The sculpture’s been such a longstanding tradition, especially at the New York State Fair, and that I think people really hold it very dear to their heart,” Pelton said.
Zazzara Sr. said he’s hopeful that the fair organizers are taking their time to figure out the best way to proceed.
“Everyone’s trying to figure their way through the dilemma, it’s the best we can do,” he said.
