Love the fair! People watching, animal sightings, military challenges, fried foods, and more. Download the app to find the food you're craving. Historically I've always gone to the Indian Village to get their Native American taco (taco meat with usual toppings on fry bread). Parking is free and so are kids 12 and under. Although the food is costly, you can definitely be entertained without spending a dime. read more

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8/06/2025: Opening day for the fair! It's great weather and there's something for everyone: Sports fishing displays, beer gardens, Nyaweh Indian Village; crafts, performances and my favorite: The Moo-ternity barn, where you might get to see a calf being born! read more

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I feel like the food was not as good this year. To be fair, I went on the last day of the fair but I can't imagine businesses left before this day. One business everyone should go support however, is Beyond Boba. Such wonderful owners and amazing drinks. 10/10 read more

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There is something for all ages from lotto and alcohol tents for adults and rides for the older kiddos to toddler farming activities for the littles. Lots of performances and exhibits to see at the fair. It is definetely worth the price of admissions. read more

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Hate the people. Love the pig races! Lemonade is great. The heat is bad. Don't get the fried bubble gum. read more

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After a few years off, I finally ventured back to the Erie County Fair. And walking through the fairgrounds reminded me just how much I missed this hallmark of summer in WNY! My parents took my brother and I to the fair every year when we were little, and I like to continue the tradition by going at *least* once every summer now that I'm an adult. The only consistent change through the years is the pricing. It was expensive then, it's expensive now. They do have ticket deals sometimes, which can help. I'm not really a ride person so thankfully I skip out on that expense, but the food pricing can be unreal! That being said... there is much to look at, do, and eat here. Games are a great way to spend some time, and of course there are farm animals and craft vendors to peruse as well. The food scratches an itch like none other. This year, I indulged in a corn dog. But it's no trip to the fair without buying a bag of fried dough nuggets on the way out (pro tip: reheat them in the air fryer if you've got any left over). There's no denying a trip to the fair is a costly outing, but I remind myself that this only happens once a year, so I can justify the price. And the feeling of powdered sugar all over your face and hands after some fried dough? That feeling is priceless. read more

Woohoo, it's the fair! I rarely ever say that - the thought of splurging all that cash on just a day of fun...I always figure I can find a better way of spending my time. But, this year I scored a lucky pair of free tickets to the Fair so I figured it would be a nice opportunity to spend the morning with my kid brother. We got there super early, around 9:15 AM so pro tip: if you get there at 9:15 AM it is very likely that none of the stands will be open and there will be very little to do before the crowds start coming. But, it turned out to be a great time to check out the animal barns! There were actually some ongoing horse and sheep shows, and I got some lovely cow kisses. Things started to get busy & open around 10:30 or so. My brother and I continued walking the grounds and were able to explore some of the cool stands they have scattered around the place. Some highlights: - A stand with all kinds of stuff made from leather! Boots, jackets, purses, wallets, etc. I bought myself a nice bracelet. - A pet ID tag stand. Sort of odd to find this here, but they had exactly what I was looking for. I got a new ID tag for my dog, stamped on metal within minutes. They also embroider collars. - The classic custom air-brushed t-shirt stand. - There were a few of them that also sold things like sunglasses, hats, clothes, purses, etc. - Woodcarvers galore! Once the ticket stands opened up, I bought a few for my brother and let him enjoy the rides. It was around 2 tickets for $1, and $30 for a wristband. Rides were around 6, 8, or 10 tickets each. The area with the rides blends with the carnival games too. Prepare to be heckled by some game runners! I really enjoyed a lot of the exhibits they have here, like the old-fashioned Firefighting vehicles, the Historical building, Conservation building, and the farm animals. There are various shows and demonstrations going on throughout the day, so it's safe to say you'll never be bored at the fair! I had a really nice time, and will probably return sometime again in the future, but I'll admit that it isn't my favorite summer adventure. Crazy crowds like the one the fair gets just aren't my thing, but I think going as early as we did made it much easier to enjoy all of the fair fun. Between myself and my brother getting food, going on rides, checking out a few of the exhibits, and playing a few games, we spent around $60. So, it's not quite as cheap as it's made out to be, since all the fun-having will start to add up. But you can't put a price on your siblings' happiness!! Day 4 read more

Erie County Fair - 2017 Sand Sculpture- super legit - Festivals Near Me - Hamburg, New York

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1 annual tradition I never miss. Something new to see every year, lots of free things to do and see. Even if you go with a family it won't break the bank as long as you seek out deals and take advantage of all the free family-oriented shows. Of course the food is amazing and there's just something about the smell and sounds of the fair that make you feel good the whole time you're there. read more

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22 Dollars per person to walk around a fair for a couple hours is absolutely insanity. The fried dough was not up to par and the Blooming onion i got had a really nasty burnt aftertaste that even the dipping sauce couldn't cover and i spent 18 dollars on that thing. The only reason i didn't give it a 1 star review is because the rides i went on were fun but the ticket prices were crazy 20 dollars for 40 tickets and you can only ride like 5 rides for that. overall its not worth your time to take a 200 dollar walk read more

The Erie county fair has come and gone for another year. A long standing tradition for many families and people. Understandably so, and deserved. My disappointment is their parking rules. Why does the planning committee think it's a good idea to put the handicap parking all the way by the RV park? When you're using a cane, walker, or a wheelchair, you're already getting anxious about where you, or your driver is going to park, let alone how far you're going to have to go to get yourself there. People with disabilities are already experiencing a difficult life, and being seen as invisible. Living everyday in a wheelchair, it breaks my heart that able bodied people are given priority over those suffering disabilities. Shame on you! read more

This is our annual summertime trek. For some reason this year, we spent a lot of time here. But I think the new cooking area, with live chefs cooking took up a lot of our time. But it was well worth it. Of course, we watch the same chef from Masterchef with took up about 2 hours of our time. This is a great addition to the fair this year and hopefully next year can get some other great chefs to come or even try and home cook challenge for our area. Well, on to the rest of the fair. It seemed a little less crowded and less vendors that years previous - good in one way areas not so crowded but not sure if vendors backed out. Hopefully that isn't the case. We ate at Tara's they make the best skillet burgers...I had the regular burger that includes mash potatoes on the burgers. It is a meal in its self. My hubby had the fair burger, it included a fried green tomatoe, potatoes and a fried egg. Delicious... And you can't go to the fair without getting the lemonade and birch beer... We ended up buying my granddaughter something I never saw before it is a little tent for dolls or another option pets. But this was the cutest thing ever and it was made with Frozen cloth - one of her favorite movies. This was something totally different. Good time and great bumping into friends we haven't seen in a while. Can't wait for next year!!! read more

Erie County Fair - Festivals Near Me - Hamburg, New York

On the way to the fair I saw the brightest rainbow I had ever seen. It was a good omen. I brought a friend who was visiting from Florida, who had never seen the Erie County Fair. It was an immersive experience. All kinds of food, vendors, animals, and crafts. Prize winning exhibits were everywhere, and they sure deserved the awards. I think next year I'll spend more than just one evening at the fair. It was great. read more

Erie County Fair - A trim on the sides to look your best - Festivals Near Me - Hamburg, New York

Young & Old will find something to enjoy at the fair;farm animals, fantastic foods, rides, games of chance, shopping with unique vendors not to be missed.There's free shows to attend, the pig races never disappoint, plus you can attend concerts for a fee in the grandstands, & the fan favorite demolition derby. read more

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The Erie County Fair really is the best 10 days of summer! I always have must do/see. Indian Village, the pig races, baby animals, ALL THE BABY ANIMALS . We eat our selves silly, and walk ourselves silly too. Summer isn't the same without the fair read more

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Favorite local fair! I've been coming here since I was 4 years old, and I still continue to go every single year. My favorite part of the fair is Swifty the swimming pig! I get my picture taken with him EVERY YEAR, ha. I literally have approx. 10 picture of me with Swifty, the pig races are so fun and you can tell the pigs are treated with love. I'm usually not much of a fan when it comes to the animal sections of the fair besides the pig races because I feel bad for the animals and I want them to have a good life, so I try to steer clear of the animal tents and such where they are just tried up :( The food at the fair is impeccable, I live trying all the new weird foods. My favs: Pickle ice, deep fried peanut butter and jelly, pretzel dogs, beef jerky, footlong corn dog, deep fried taco, and edible chocolate chip cookie dough, so freakin good! I look forward to this every year, I can't wait until August, check this fair out if you have not been here, if you have, see you in August! read more

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There's always so much to see & do at the fair.For the adventurous there's the rides.For those that feel lucky you can try one of the many games, or buy some lotto tickets in the lottery building or just try your luck in the casino.So many beautiful animals to go & visit, & maybe learn something new about. Then there's the shopping , always interesting finds in the agri building. Let's not forget about the fantastic smells at the fair coming from all the delicious foods there is to try, fried dough, waffles,kettle corn, fries, pizza & always some new exotic item.Many shows to see as part of your admission or maybe an add on in the grandstand for a concert or event of your choosing. And the best part kids admissions are free . read more

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I've lived in this area my whole life and this was my first time visiting the Erie county fair . I finally came because I was attending the Kane brown concert tonight. It was a Monday and was very busy I couldn't imagine it on the weekend!! The staff in guest services were very helpful & knew exactly where everything was that I asked them about. We had the chivettas chicken dinner, wine slushies, and for dessert after the concert - root beer floats! Everything was so delicious!! The concert venu was very quick to get into, the seats were properly labeled and there were signs everywhere to help you. The ushers were always ready and fast! If I had to criticize one thing, I would have liked to received a map to help me more but it was all good! read more

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Awesome fair! I ate so much and got to try axe throwing fit the first time. I also got to see Fluffy. Great performance. Fun fair! read more

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A few firsts for me: Bacon corndog - no idea what this is, but its available at this fair Deep fried gummy bear - no idea the attraction to this but its available here at the fair Snow dibs are a thing. I don't know what, but they were a big seller when I was there Gaming in Hamburg - I had no idea, but there is. Connected to the fairgrounds. I came early in the day on a weekday. That's a good thing. When I was leaving in the afternoon the parking lots were full. Including all disabled spots. They probably need more of those actually. Going in I got a very useful map. Showed all the areas of the fair. I headed over to the animal areas and saw a large assortment of 4 legged friends from the long legged llamas to the short legged guinea pigs. All sorts of useful information was on display in the barns as well. It was very cool. Lots of families in this area. Then there was the area with all sorts of rides for the kids. You have to buy tickets for this part and some of those ticket lines were pretty long. But I did not see long lines at the rides. I was a little surprised by the general chaos in this area but it seemed to work and I saw no crying kids (or parents for that matter). The crafts section is sort of off to the side a little. Its always nice to see how creative people can be. Amazing. I would have preferred them to be a little more centrally located. Then I went to see the winning quilts and table setting areas. All sorts of contests happen here. The winners, and many non winners, are displayed nicely in a building with AC. Which I was ready for by then. The creativity of locals is really impressive. I enjoyed this part of the fair a lot. It was not at all crowded. There were some other "crafts" for sale - various places selling signs, some funnier then others. Places to buy a hat, which I imagine may do well on hotter days here. You can buy all sorts of treats for your dog, from leashes to organic food treats. You can get a caricature made. Most of the places will happily hold your purchase until you pass back through as you exit the fair. There must be a lot of fried dough eaten around Buffalo because everywhere I go there are at least 3 fried dough carts. Often many more. But you could also have had cotton candy. Or various forms of ice-cream. There was an attempt at an old fashioned candy place here. The "old fashioned" part fell flat to me. But you walk in a predetermined route through the store, with a bowl in hand and place pieces of candy in your bowl. All pre-wrapped. Or buy a box of "cigarettes" that are really chewing gum. I did not know they still sold those. I thought they had long ago been deemed a marketing ploy, but they were available here. The candy choices were interesting ones actually. I did not buy anything so cant speak to freshness or flavor. Then there is a "food aisle" type place. Just option after option with some limited seating in the middle. Also limited shade. Tons of different food options, most seemed to start at the $5 price point. Nothing was cheap. All in all an interesting experience. I can understand why its one of the largest county fairs in the country, and evidently larger than many state fairs. And I understand why attendance is so high. However, this is not a cheap day. You will start by paying for parking - $5 for me in one of the fairground lots. Then you will pay to get into the fair - $5 for me as I arrived early on a weekday. Some days you can bring a can of food which will also get you a discount. But I think regular tickets are $10. So somewhere between $10-15 and you have not yet gone in. OK. Then you go in and everything costs money except the animal exhibits and the craft exhibits. The rides for kids cost money. The food costs ALOT of money. The butterfly exhibit costs $5. I just felt like I was being gouged. 5 stars for clearing "doing something right" to get such high attendance. 5 stars for clearly marked and safe parking. 5 stars for clearly marked "help desks", which were indeed helpful. 4 stars for the animal exhibits, I did not feel they were as well monitored as they could have been. Lots of kiddes sticking fingers into cages, despite signs saying not to. Accident waiting to happen. 1 star for any healthy food option. If there was one, it was not clearly visible. 1 star for the overall pricing of the food once inside. 3 stars for having the animals and other crafts in places so far from the entrance that you have to walk through either the food or the games to get to them. (Maybe there are other entrances, I went in Gate 4, only one open when I arrived.) 3 overall. They could improve the experience by having more fresh healthy food options, more shaded areas, and not gouging you for money at every turn. Id go back, but only early in the day and Id bring lunch. read more

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I can't quite pinpoint what it is about the fair that I enjoy so much, but I keep returning. You can be 100% certain that you will see the following things: 1. Lots of entertaining people 2. Livestock, baby animals 3. Fried food that you didn't even know existed 4. Typical carnival games & rides 5. I Got It (My personal favorite) 6. Stands selling very specific items such as belts, belt buckles and goblets 7. Tons of hot tubs and sheds for sale 8. Tractors 9. Copious amounts of alcohol available for purchase, including wine slushies This year, I really loved Jim's deep fried beef taco. I wish they sold it throughout the year! There was also a litter of 13 baby piglets this year. They pretty much stole the show. It's always an interesting time at the fair! read more

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I finally made it to the Erie County Fair...on the last day! It was a lot of fun and I definitely recommend checking out the Erie County Fair next year. There were probably 10,000 people here. Lots of food vendors, amusement rides, live animal exhibits and a day of walking around with friends. Here are some tips: * Tickets are $10, but you can get in for $5 if you come before 11am. I actually was lucky to get a ticket for free by some nice folks who were leaving and just handed me a ticket! I've done this a number of times myself, so I think I got some of my good karma back. * It's easy to spend $20+ on junk food, like chocolate covered bacon, fried dough and ginormous fried onions. If you want to experience some of the amusement rides and play some carnival games, budget accordingly. You'll easily spend $50 in one day. * Parking is $5. There's usually a Chinese/Pizza place off of McKinley Rd that offers parking and it's less of a traffic jam to park in there then the official lot and costs the same. All in all, the fair is a fun time. I had some shark kebabs, chocolate covered bacon and enjoyed quite a bit of the amusement rides. My favorite was the 50 cent bingo! I could sit there and play "toss the ball" bingo for hours! In fact, next time I'll do just that. read more

Erie County Fair - Festivals Near Me - Hamburg, New York

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The Erie County Fair is the boss sauce. I was blown away the first time I went to Erie County's Fair, thinking it would be more like the rinky dink fair I grew up going to. Yeah, nope, not my home town's at all because the Erie County Fair is the 9th largest county fair in the country! It is nearly the size of the New York State Fair! There is so much to see- the midway, the food, the exhibition space, the barns, the arenas. And it lasts for nearly two weeks! I like bee-line it to the animal barns, especially the goats. The exhibitors do a great job keeping their spaces clean and tidy, and there always seems to be someone around to ask questions of or show off their prized livestock. The dairy barn is really impressive, showing the entire process, from milking to pasteurizing and even calving (aka cows giving birth right in front of you). It's very interactive and informative. I have a soft place in my heart for the 4-H exhibitor space. Aside from being mercifully air conditioned it's a great building to explore. I really encourage everyone to go in and celebrate the local crafters and artists. This year I was especially impressed by the beautiful quilts on display, the crocheted projects, and the photography. I also love checking out the creative place settings! The only kind of weird thing is you can buy beds and furniture in this building?! Do stop in the horticulture building. You can get your maple fix and see what vegetables being are produced nearby. A slightly strange note, but I strongly suggest stopping and smelling the hay- I think the smell good alfalfa hay is absolutely heavenly. My advice is to get to the Fair early as this place fills right up, especially in the evening. The Erie County is a GREAT experience- large, fun, tons to do, with really fantastic exhibitors. Just do it! read more

Erie County Fair - Horticulture Building. Smell the hay! - Festivals Near Me - Hamburg, New York

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We were here for orientation for the 2018 season at the Fair. The people who are in charge of the volunteers were all introduced. We were all reminded of specifics, like wearing closed toe shoes, and given our handbooks with all the phone numbers in case there is a problem when we are at the Fair for our assorted assignments. The Fair starts August 8 and runs 12 days, until August 19th. I'm hoping for good weather! read more

I've been looking forward to coming to the Erie County Fair since I moved to Buffalo last summer and finally made my way here yesterday afternoon. The fair itself is a pretty good size and typical of small to medium size fairs I've been to in the New England area. I went into this with probably too high of expectations since I generally compare everything to the Big E in Massachusetts but left after having an enjoyable experience. Like other fairs you are surrounded by carnival rides, games, tons of different food stations, farm animals, a small petting zoo, magic shows, animal shows, lots of local goods to purchase, RV/Tent distributors, and of course lot's of representatives of the casino also hanging out. I personally enjoyed walking through the animal buildings and seeing all the pigs, horses, cows, chickens, and sheep laying about. I really liked the food setup here as most of the vendors were pretty close to each other. I wasn't starving while walking around so all I really ate was some deep fried cheese curds and a bite of a corn dog (both were good, what you would expect). My favourite truck was actually selling Lime Fizz which was basically like a lime lemonade and it was absolutely delicious. Overall, I had a really nice time walking around the Erie County Fairgrounds and although it was no Big E, it was a great fair to celebrate Buffalo and Western New York. Although I don't think I would come more then once a year, I will definitely be returning next year for some more food and fun. read more

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I came on a Thursday, just before 11 am, for their early bird 5$ special admission price. Pros + Food: I had Buffalo wing tater tots and jalapeño bacon poutine. Both were quite delicious. They have quite some novel food items. + Variety: I saw some animals, ate some yummy food, saw a Chinese acrobatics show. All in 4 hours time. Cons - Yelling stall owners try to entice you into playing a game to win a prize. - Prices: I must've spent at least $7 on 3 bottles of water. Parking was also $5. Come during a weekday if you can help it! read more

It was the usual at the fair, but no shuttle available for the handicapped. The funnel cakes were 10 dollars and not very good.

I had a blast! My 18 month old son and husband did as well. Parking was only five bucks, right across the street from the barns. We went on a Saturday afternoon, which was perfect because it wasn't too crowded yet. Our main focus was the animals, and boy did we see, smell, pet, and feed some pigs, goats, llamas, horses, cows, chickens, sheep, and everything else! My son absolutely had a ball checking out all of the strange creatures and making animal noises. It was easy to navigate a stroller through all of the barn spaces, and we had fun getting up close and personal. There was a path behind the grandstand full of neat gardens that we found and someone even had a planter just for kids to dig around in with shovels and buckets. Spent lots of time there. We saw a horse show and everyone in the animal area was super friendly. The food options were literally endless. Yes, slightly expensive, but it's the fair, plan ahead ($7 for a drink, $15 for a salad, $10 for fries). The rides were not really geared toward super young kids, but we could all go on the carrousel. Around 530 when we left the lines started going for miles, and parking was jam packed, FYI, get there early before the nightly shows start! Overall it was a great afternoon at the fair! read more

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I love the Erie county Fair. We go every year and although some things can be repetitive from year to year, they always try to offer new shows and food. Mmmm, the food. That's the main reason we go! I enjoy eating the local favorites like chivettas, and trying new foods like shark kabobs, cheeseburger donuts and peanut butter and jelly corn on the cob. It is easy to drop quite a bit of money with an entire day of food and activities. There is a reason that this fair is one of the largest and most popular in the country, it's worth it to check out. Even if you only go once every few years! Just don't forget about it because it is an amazing event! read more

Lots of drunk people, hence the nickname the Beery County Fair. But still, great times to be had by all. I've been to the ECF on 3 occasions... maybe 4 or 5 but the past is a distant memory. It's a typical but enormous fair, that is too overpriced across the board to earn a 5-star rating, but too much fun to get less than a 4. My most recent experience here was with about 4 guys who got drunk faster than you can say "let's eat Cotton Candy." We had a great time, and I chaperoned them all home. Speaking of Cotton Candy, did you know that it's called "Candy Floss" in England. The more you know... It's a little out of the way, and all the food stands are simultaneously awful, and extraordinarily overpriced, and for these reasons, it only scores a 4. But it's still huge and enormous (like your boyfriend) especially by WNY standards, and it's a hell of a lot of fun if you like fairs and fried foods and sex. Well I'm not sure about the sex, but certainly there are enough beautiful people wandering around the ECF to inspire lots of good times. Just make sure you bring plenty of money because everything here will cost you a ton. read more

Always make a point to come each year. Very large venue. You can spend a good 4 hours inside walking around. Very easy to spend money but you will receive good memories in return. Awesome variety of activities. There is something for everyone. read more

Every year the Fair comes and every year I say "I hate the Fair." I still find myself at the Fair and I always end up having fun!! This year was no different! We started by going into Grapes and Hops, as soon as we walked through the Fair gates. This is a cute bar, that is nicely decorated with lights and water fountains. I ordered a raspberry sangria wine slush and began the people watching! Next was our food purchases. We stopped at Jim's and got the deep fried beef taco. This was our favorite throughout the whole day. It was huge and definitely should be split. So delicious! Then we tried the deep fried pierogi's, filled with potatoes and cheese. We also tried the deep fried garlic mashed potatoes. These weren't as good as I imagined. Still happy we tried them! We got a bag of cotton candy and kettle corn to take home and a candy apple. Also, a funnel cake on the way out! We love riding the Ferris wheel! It's the one ride we do every year. While in line we were taunted by the half woman, half snake. So we had to check her out too. It's totally worth it, just for the laughs! Lastly, my favorite part was definitely visiting the Agricenter building! Charlotte the pig had 13 baby piglets. It was the most heartwarming thing I've seen. I could have watched the little baby pigs all day! I fell in love with them!! As much as I gripe about hating the fair, I had so much fun and am so happy I went. The pigs and snake woman are two perfectly good reasons to go back! read more

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This place is so much fun with so many things to do I swear you could spend hours and alot of money!!! But the fair comes once a year so honestly I feel like it's worth it! My favorite part of of the Erie County Fair was the butterfly exhibit you paid a dollar and you got to interact with butterflies it was awesome!! And obviously the fried dough with powdered sugar was my ultimate favorite! And the chicken gyro was amazing the chocolate banana was to die for. Everything I had was so good!! As you can tell I love the fair. read more

ahh - bittersweet is the Erie County Fair - everyone loves the fair and yet it has come signify the end of summer. Waaahh. Whether you come for the tradition and to make memories, or you come to people watch, or for the food, ride, or those cute baby animals, it is a rite of passage from one season to the next! It seems that every year there is even more to see! Anything you want to eat - you can get - wood fired pizza? check. Fried Dough? check ..Chocolate covered frozen banana? check. alligator (yes - that too!) ,ice cream, sausage, waffles, steak on a stick, corn, and every other fair food known to mankind. Just make sure you eat AFTER going on the rides - and there are TONS of those too! be sure to take lots of pics on the midway at night when the lights are best! The fair is reasonably priced and you could easily spend all day there so you will get your moneys worth. Some tips : 1) i always go in the evening. It's cooler and you can get to see the fair by day and night _I prefer it at night - and don't think it will be crazy at night - it's very family friendly 2) have little ones? down by the dairy barns there is a food vendor where EVERYTHING is $ 1.00 -yep! fries, dogs, etc. great for families! 3) park by the gate where the horses are ! i hesitate to say this b/c it is never crowded! 4) get discounted tickets at TOPS and they usually include free parking and other discounts in the booklet! 5) download the app for the baby calf births! you will be texted when the event is ready to happen! 6) too hot? duck into the casino and play some slots machines and get some free cold drinks! 7) take advantage of the little tractor ride - for .50 you can go from one part of the fair to the other! cant wait til next year! read more

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Great fair, fair food at high fair pricing. Lots of things to see and do. Eggroll is back from the big Apple to be the MC of the family tent. Everyone that preform are great . Some of the acts are learning but are very professional. Worth the 2,4, or what ever it cost to get in. Come for the whole day and come back again tomorrow. As in any thing with all types, watch yourself and your back. I be back later this week. read more

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How do you write a review of something that's been in your life for its entirety? So much has changed for me since I clutched my dad's hand and pushed through the crowds of the Erie County Fair. It's reassuring to know that, when I attend the Fair this year and next, the "I-Got-It" tent will be in the same spot. Chiavetta's will still be cooking (and smelling delicious) under the same tent. And I know exactly where to find the best, cleanest restroom in the entire place (but that's my secret to keep). Fairs might not be your thing. I get it. I've been subjected to many of them in multiple counties and states. I can promise you one thing - there are none that compare to the Erie County Fair. The cleanliness, wealth of things to do, attentiveness to visitor needs, and vendor options are simply nonexistent elsewhere. Parking and traffic might get a little congested, but overall it isn't bad. My dad has been parking in the farmhouse lot across the street from the main entrance for the past 40 years. Fees are cheap - maybe $5 at most. You are permitted to bring supplies in with you (until someone ruins it, I'm sure). So stock up on sunblock and water bottles, since these can be pricey inside. If you know that you are attending the fair, you can also buy discounted tickets at Tops before it opens. Otherwise, the standard ticket price is $10. There are special discount days, usually hosted by local news stations. Check the web site for a full list of dates. There are plenty of free things to do once you're inside. The animal barns (love the rabbit house!), Native American cultural shows, band mainstage, and exhibition pavilion are all free of charge (which, by the way, isn't standard practice elsewhere). There are roaming performers. Stilt walkers, comedians, jugglers, and clowns (not the painted kind, don't worry) wander the grounds and perform impromptu shows for passerby. If you have a limited budget, you can entertain yourself and a family for a full day by just wandering the fair and going into the various buildings and barns. Of course, the food options are almost limitless. Frozen chocolate bananas are my favorite. There are dozens of fried dough/funnel cake stands and just about any type of fair food you could possibly desire. This year, I noticed a few more "healthy-ish maybe" options cropping up, as well. I don't have much experience with the midway. We didn't spend much time there when I was a kid so I don't feel the urge to visit as an adult. But from the flashing lights and crowds of people, the plethora of games and rides is obvious. This year, we visited the new Agricultural Discovery Center for the first time. It's beautiful inside and proves the fair's mission to keep agriculture front and center at its events. There is a half-million dollar, GPS-operated tractor that will blow even the least country-ish visitors' minds. There are blacksmith shows and a "moo-ternity" ward with bleachers if you want to watch a cow have its baby. The little infant cows are soooo cute! Once again, I know that fairs aren't for everyone. But you can't really can't go wrong with the Erie County Fair. read more

I love the fair! It's one of my favorite events of the year. I go on opening day. This year it coincided with the "Happy Together Tour" which was a happy bonus. Flo & Eddie are definitely aging (we all are) but they still bring together great acts that continue to entertain. Another highlight was the aerobatic team, father and son, that performed running around this gyro scopic dual "hamster wheel" looking thing. It was amazing. I thought they might fall off a few times and my breath caught in my throat. Very entertaining. I enjoyed the lumberjack show too. Log rolling, axe throwing...what's not to like there? I saw a lot of the usuals as well: Hilby, the skinny German Juggler, always so hysterical and corny. Racing swine...you can't help but get caught up in which one will win. Chinese acrobats...it's like they don't have bones they can stretch so far, into un-natural shapes. I know for a lot of people "fair food" is a must but I bring my own healthy food even to the fair. You're groaning right now, I hear you. But the smell of Chiavetta's BBQ was everywhere adding to the atmosphere. The fair is so easy to get to and navigate once inside. I like that it doesn't really change. It's an institution. One I don't want to miss. read more

This Fair couldnt be any better! Its big enough to keep you amused all day but small enough to navigate and to have a friendly feel. Kids are free admittance and parking is $5 on a weekday. The highlight for me was the county fair bran that was air conditioned and had so much to see and do. There were cows that had just given birth, an arts and craft farm room with friendly staff, a farm tour, a huge tractor 2 stories high, a fake milking animal, newly born calfs, newly born piglets and a chance to make your own butter. The cooking demo was another nice area with great AC and free aprons for kids to decorate with crayons. Lots of free shows like pig racing. On a Monday in August it was not crowded and not hot. Highly recommended. read more

Erie County Fair - Piglets - Festivals Near Me - Hamburg, New York

I went yesterday between the extreme heat and later rain I had a lot of fun. If you go remember they mostly take cash. read more

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There was a wide selection of foods and activities. It was enjoyable. Be warned that almost everything is fried. There did not seem to be any healthy options at all. read more

2013 State Fair attendance: 854,000. 2013 Erie County Fair attendance: 1,200,000. Enough said, best fair ever. read more