The Midway will for the first time, offer ride-all-day wristbands every day of the Fair. Previously, all-day wristbands were only available on some weekdays. Advance sale wristbands priced at $20 provide a $5 savings over regular weekday prices and $10 over weekend prices. Fairgoers who plan to spend four days or more at the Midway can save even more by buying the $70 Mega Pass, which is good every day of the Fair.

Waffner also noted that the Fair was notified that the 10-year contract between the Fair and Wade Shows received final approval from the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC). Once a bid is awarded, it is customary for parties to move forward in preparing for the implementation of that contract, pending approval from OSC. Planning did proceed during this interim period, and the Midway is right on track for a smooth launch on August 21.

“We’re thrilled that this is now official, and we believe Fairgoers should be, too. These specials are just great news for fairgoers and Wade Shows will be ready on day one to amaze and entertain nearly a million visitors at this year’s Fair. We’re right on target and this year’s Midway will be both an eye-popping and thrilling experience for fairgoers,” Waffner said.

“We’ve been hard at work planning the greatest midway in the long history of the New York State Fair. Preparations are well underway and I think the people of New York will be amazed by what they see. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve got planned,” said Frank Zaitshik, owner of Wade Shows.

Wade Shows will bring at least 63 rides to the Fair, including five of the most exciting rides, called “super-spectacular” rides. Among the rides:

• The RC-48 roller coaster, which will be the largest roller coaster ever to appear at the Fair. Wade Shows owns the two largest traveling coasters in America and the RC-48 is one of them.
• The Crazy Mouse roller coaster, which adds a spinning seat to the thrills of going up and down the coaster rails.
• The Enterprise, a spinning, tilting kind of Ferris wheel that falls into the super-spectacular category and which will mark a return of the ride to the Fair.
• Mega Drop, the world’s largest portable drop tower.
• Two Kiddielands, one of which will include Wade’s newest ride for younger thrillseekers, Charlie Copter.

The New York State Fair, operated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, runs from August 21 – September 1, 2014. The Fair’s mission, reflected in its 2014 theme, “Summer’s Best in Show,” is to showcase the best of New York agriculture while providing top-quality entertainment. This year’s tagline – “New Attractions, Old Favorites, Timeless Fun” – highlights the more than two dozen new events and attractions and the expansion or enhancement of several Fairgoer favorites.

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.

The home of the Great New York State Fair is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. 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:
Joe Morrissey
Public Information Officer
NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets
518-457-0752

Dave Bullard
Public Relations
New York State Fair
315-487-7711 x 1377