Syracuse,
NY – August 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
announced Thursday (August 4) an all-new Taste
NY Market at the Great New York State
Fair as part of the Governor’s $50 million plan to transform the fairgrounds
and improve the experience for visitors. Now located inside the landmark
Horticulture Building, guests of the Taste NY Market will have the opportunity
to enjoy everything New York, from artisan cheeses and gourmet nuts, to
local wines, craft beers, spirits and more.
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“The
Great State Fair is one of this region’s greatest attractions, and the
transformation of the fairgrounds has restored its status as one of the
nation’s top state fairs,” Governor Cuomo said, “With the addition of this
new Taste NY Market to the other attractions at the Horticulture Building,
it’s now easier and more convenient than ever for visitors to enjoy the
very best New York has to offer.”
Visitors to the Taste NY
Market will have the chance to try free samples of food and beverages from
all 76 participating New York vendors and to meet the people behind those
products. If you like what you try, you’ll also have the opportunity to
buy it on-site directly from the vendor. For the first time this year,
the operators of the Taste NY store at the Broome Gateway Travel and Tourism
Center will also showcase and sell an array of products from their store,
including: Bjorn Popcorn, Mini Honey Bears, Emmy’s Macaroons, Field Trip
Beef Jerky, Saratoga Crackers and many others.
The vendors featured at the
Taste NY Market will rotate daily, during all twelve days of the Fair.
A complete list of participating vendors and a schedule of the vendor rotation
can be found here.
State Agriculture Commissioner
Richard A. Ball said, “New York has such a rich agricultural industry,
one I am very proud to be a part of and thrilled to showcase during the
Fair. No place on the fairgrounds does that better than the Horticulture
Building. It is not just incredible to look at with its ornate architecture,
it also provides a fun, interactive, and educational experience for all
fairgoers. With the addition of the Taste NY Market, there is even more
to enjoy this year, and I encourage every visitor to come experience New
York agriculture first-hand.”
Troy Waffner, Acting Fair
Director said, “We are always looking for ways to improve the Fair and
the experience of our guests. The historic renovations to the fairgrounds
are a big part of that. They have allowed us to upgrade certain aspects
of the event, such as the exhibits in the Horticulture Building. Whether
it’s the spectacular plant and floral arrangements, getting up close to
see bees, or now, sampling some of New York’s most delicious food and drinks,
this location will offer a variety of unique exhibits for fairgoers of
every age.”
Onondaga County Executive
Joanie Mahoney said, “From some of the more immediately noticeable changes
like the beautiful new gateway that will greet fairgoers to the more detailed
improvements like the new agricultural showcase in the Horticulture Building
that will spotlight our State’s strengths in agriculture, the Governor’s
transformation plan takes the Great New York State Fair to the next level.
We look forward to experiencing these exciting improvements right alongside
the Fair’s one million visitors later this month.”
In addition to the Taste
NY Market in the Horticulture Building, the Taste NY Marketplace across
from the main gate and the Taste NY Wine, Beer and Spirits Village at the
Colonnades will feature more New York-made products from around the state.
New Attractions in the
Horticulture Building
A favorite stop for fairgoers,
the Horticulture Building brings together some of the very best growers,
producers, manufacturers, and apiculturists from across the state to highlight
the diversity and quality of agriculture in New York.
Back by popular demand, the
Taste NY Wine, Cheese, and Beer Seminars will also return to the Horticulture
Building. Representatives from local wineries, breweries and distilleries
will share their knowledge about grapes, hops, and how to pair various
wine, beer and spirits with food to maximize taste. Because of their popularity,
additional seminars have been added this year to accommodate even more
guests.
Other attractions include:
-
Potato and Sweet Potato Booth
-
Produce, Flower and Apple Exhibits
-
New York Maple Center
-
Bee Colony and Honey Exhibit
-
Butterfly Exhibit
Cathy Pemberton, owner of Cathy’s
Cookie Kitchen said, “I am so honored to be included in the Taste NY program
and to be selling in select stores. The Taste NY program offers such a
tremendous opportunity for me to promote and sell my cookies. It has provided
me with exposure to people traveling all throughout New York State. My
Facebook page gets a bump in views and “likes” every time my cookies arrive
at the Broome County Gateway Information Center, and after selling at the
NYS Fair.”
Barry Moore, Owner of JNB
Foods said, “Taste NY is a great way to assist small businesses, such as
JNB Foods, help brand our company and what we do and who we are—a family,
veteran-owned business with New York roots. Taste NY has helped us get
our products out in front of the public, as far away as Puerto Rico, in
front of customers in NYC, Long Island and beyond. We are proud to say
the initiatives in New York State have also given us a gateway into the
global market.”
Kaitlyn Sirna, Manager of
the Taste NY Store at Broome Gateway Travel and Tourism Center said, “We
are looking forward to a busy day at New York State Fair. This is great
exposure for our vendors, and we’ll have a great audience of New York State
enthusiasts who are excited to be at the State Fair. With our store being
at the Welcome Center in NY as you enter from Pennsylvania, we’re looking
forward to bringing a bit of Broome County to Onondaga County. We’ll be
showcasing our local company’s finest food and beverages including Jada
Hill Farm, Sue Garing Honey and more! The Fair really excites us, because
it gives the Taste NY store an opportunity to showcase our top selling
products to people beyond our traditional customers and travelers in our
center.”
About Taste NY
Taste NY (Taste.NY.gov)
is an initiative launched by Governor Cuomo in 2013 to promote New York’s
food and beverage industries. It is overseen by the Department of Agriculture
and Markets and has created opportunities for local producers to showcase
their goods at large public events, such as the Great New York State Fair.
The program has also opened stores at Thruway rest stops along the state’s
highways and in transportation hubs, enabling travelers to buy New York
State’s homegrown and homemade products. Approximately 1,100 local companies
have participated in these opportunities, further linking their products
and the state’s growing food and beverage market to consumers from across
the globe.
About the Great New York
State Fair
The New
York State Fair, operated by the New
York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, runs from August
25 to September 5, 2016. The Fair’s mission, reflected in its theme, “Summer’s
Best In Show!,” is to showcase the best of New York agriculture while providing
top-quality entertainment.
The 375-acre New York State
Fairgrounds is undergoing the most significant transformation since it
first opened its gates in 1890. The $50 million plan, announced by Governor
Andrew M. Cuomo, revitalizes the grounds in many ways, improving the quality
of the fairgoer’s experience and providing greater economic benefits for
the region. Improvements include the dramatic new Main Gate- the arches
of which recall the carriage gate that greeted fairgoers in 1900, a larger,
15-acre Wade Shows Midway that will hold more rides than ever, and the
brand new 315-site Empire RV Park with underground water, sewer and electrical
service. The plan will better position the New York State Fairgrounds as
a premier year-round, multi-use facility that can attract more events and
visitors from across the nation. More information on the revitalization
is available here and renderings can be viewed
here.
In addition to the annual
New York State Fair, the Fairgrounds host dozens of agricultural events
throughout the year, including some of the Northeast’s most prestigious
horse and livestock shows.
A year-round schedule
of events is available on the Fair’s
website. Find The Great New York State Fair on Facebook,
follow @NYSFair on Twitter, and
enjoy photos from the Fair at Flickr.com/photos/nysfair.
Also, New Yorkers are invited to send their ideas for the Great New York
State Fair at statefairideas@agriculture.ny.gov.
Media Contacts:
Jola
Szubielski
Public Information Officer
NYS Department of Agriculture
& Markets
518-457-0752
Dave
Bullard
Public Relations
New York State Fair
315-487-7711 x 1377 |