For most New Yorkers, August brings plenty of bittersweet reminders that summer will soon yield to fall.

All manner of foods, drinks and candles are suddenly spiced with pumpkin flavorings and aromas. Sleepy college towns come alive as students flock to campuses. Days shorten and the night air gets crisp.

But for some of us lucky enough to live near Syracuse, this month of seasonal transition has only one true end-of-summer ritual: The Great New York State Fair.

Having grown up a 10-minute drive from the sprawling 375-acre fairgrounds, I consider myself an unofficial ambassador of the fair’s greatness (Did you know the nation’s first state fair was held in Syracuse 184 years ago?!).

I’ve even sung praises of the fair to colleagues while working in Westchester County. My sales pitch c

See Full Page