Empire State Fair comes to Long Island

Jessica Chin
Photo courtesy of State Fair Group.

The Empire State Fair is making its Long Island debut on Thursday night at NYCB LIVE’s Nassau Coliseum. The fair will feature over 50 rides and attractions, as well as food and entertainment.

The fair is presented by Belleville, N.J.-based State Fair Group, which usually hosts the State Fair of Meadowlands at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The 11-day event will feature stage shows and concerts by local musicians, hypnotist Steve Bayner, the All-American Thrill Show and Racing Pigs, which the fair calls “America’s  No. 1 fair attraction.”

The pot-bellied pigs weigh over 300 pounds and run “really, really slow motion, it’s pretty funny,” Al Dorso Sr., the owner of State Fair Group, said. “If you never saw a racing pig, you’ve got to come and see.”

The fair will also feature the “world’s largest portable ferris wheel transported all the way from Holland.” The ferris wheel’s cars are gondola-style and can carry up to six people, Dorso, Sr. said. In addition, the fair will have the “largest Kiddie-land on Long Island,” as well as an educational petting zoo and live animal rides.

The petting zoo will have “farm animals, such as llamas, chickens, goats, cows, donkeys, and kangaroos,” Dorso, Sr. said. Fairgoers will be able to ride camels and ponies. Furthermore, the fair will have the “original batcopter,” from the 1966 Batman film, available for fairgoers to ride and an “open air circus,” Dorso, Sr. said.

The “All-American Thrill Show” is the open-air circus show where fairgoers can watch gymnastic acrobats, aerialists and daredevil motorcyclists perform. The acrobats will perform on a high wire and 90-foot sway pole, while the motorcyclists will perform feats like the Globe of Death and the Cyber Cycle Act.

Other than rides and shows, the fair will have a plethora of food available from funnel cakes to corn dogs, as well as healthier options such as fruits and vegetables, Dorso, Sr. added.

“Other events are really carnival, this fair is food first, entertainment second and rides third,” Dorso, Sr. said. “You can go to the fair and never go on a ride and still be entertained!”

Fair admission is $12 for all ages and $27 for an all-rides wristband. On its opening night on Thursday, the fair will offer discounted admission at $10 and $25 for the rides wristband. The fair will also offer a “cheap, cheap night” on July 25 and a “kids go free night” on July 27. The 11-day event runs from Thursday to July 30. Fair hours are Monday through Thursday, 6 p.m. to midnight; Fridays 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. to midnight.

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