Syracuse,
NY – October 2014 / Newsmaker Alert / Showstopper Ale, the first-ever
official beer of the Great New York State Fair, will make an encore appearance
at the Taste NY Harvest Fest
at the Horticulture Building at the New York State Fairgrounds on November
1, New York State Commissioner of Agriculture Richard A. Ball announced.
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The
official beer program was created as part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s
direction to continually raise the prominence of beverages made in New
York State. Showstopper Ale is a craft beer created by Empire Brewing Co.
of Syracuse, and the company will provide samples of the beer to those
attending Harvest Fest before Showstopper leaves the stage. Showstopper
is a light, Kolsch-style ale produced in part with New York hops and barley,
along with water from Skaneateles Lake.
“There are dozens of great
reasons to come to Harvest Fest, but a last chance to sample a good summer
ale must rank among the best. The presence of our great Fair’s official
beer is a terrific reason to visit the Fairgrounds for Harvest Fest,” said
Commissioner Ball.
“Showstopper Ale was such
a huge hit at the fair that we ran out of it in the first six days. The
Harvest Fest offers a second opportunity for Central New Yorkers to come
and try this amazing beer,” said David Katleski, President of Empire Brewing
Co.
The Taste NY Harvest Fest
features scores of New York food and beverage producers offering free samples
of their products. Festival attendees who like what they’ve tasted can
then buy those products from the vendors. There will be many New York companies
offering samples of wines, beers, spirits, and ciders, but there will also
be companies offering tastes of their cheeses, dips, spreads, pretzels,
baked goods, meats, and more.
Food will also be available
for sale at the Horticulture Building restaurant for those seeking a meal.
Festival officials are urging
companies and restaurants with interesting food offerings to join the festival.
Booth spaces are only $150 for the day. The festival provides the piping
and drapery for the booth, along with a table and chairs, electricity if
needed, and ice and freezer or dry storage. Past food vendors have said
their experiences were positive, resulting in many new customers and corporate
accounts.
“Harvest Fest has been good
for the vendors who have been here. Whether it’s a one-person company with
a great food recipe, or a new craft brewer, or a restaurant with unique
dishes, Harvest Fest is an ideal place for creating new fans and customers,”
said Troy Waffner, Acting Director of the New York State Fair and Fairgrounds.
Companies interested in knowing
more about Harvest Fest can call Geneanne Keegan-Smith at 315-487-7711
extension 1212. Information for exhibitors, including an application form,
can be found at www.nysfair.org/harvestfest.
About Harvest Fest
This year’s event will be
held in two sessions in the Horticulture Building at the Fairgrounds. The
first session will run from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and the second session
will run from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Festival attendees pay a single price
and receive (with proper identification) a complimentary glass that can
be used for sampling wines, beers, liquors, and ciders. All vendors make
free samples of their products available and can sell their products directly
to consumers.
The Taste NY Harvest Fest
will also feature free seminars on New York wines, beers, and ciders, conducted
by experts from prominent New York beverage businesses. Food will be available
for sale in the building’s quick-serve restaurant.
Admission to the Taste NY
Harvest Fest is $15 by advance sale ticket purchased no later than 4:30
p.m., Thursday, October 30 and $20 at the door. Tickets can be purchased
in person at the State Fair Administration Building, by phone at 315-487-7711
weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or by faxing an order form to 315-487-9260.
The order form can be downloaded from the Harvest Fest website at www.nysfair.org/harvestfest.
Orders placed by phone or fax can be picked up at the door during the event.
Each ticket is good for only one of the two sessions, and you will be asked
to choose the session for which you are purchasing the ticket. Cash, Visa,
and Mastercard are accepted. Tickets are non-refundable, cannot be exchanged,
and cannot be replaced if lost.
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 |