New Attractions at the 2018 Erie County Fair

The Erie County Fair is proud to announce the new attractions, exhibits and other elements for the 2018 edition of the “Best 12 Days of Summer.” The following is a list of highlighted experiences debuting this year.

 

FAIR DAY LIVE!

A daily television program originating from the Fair that will provide a daily look at “what’s happening” as well as give viewers an “insiders” look at the Fair’s personalities and attractions. Each morning at 8:30am, the program will be broadcast live on WBBZ-TV (Ch. 67) as well as streamed on Facebook Live. The program will also be available on the Fair’s various social media outlets. Hosted by award winning actress and personality Kim Piazza. Produced by the Erie County Agricultural Society in partnership with WBBZ-TV.

 

I-HUB AT THE FAIR

Newly created exhibit area with the goal of exciting Western New Yorker’s about technology, engineering and the sciences. “I-Hub at the Fair,” with the “I” standing for “innovation, imagination & ingenuity,” which will be located inside the Fair’s Showplace Building. The display will focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) based businesses and education through daily demonstrations, interactive displays and hands-on activities. One of the key goals behind the creation of the “I-Hub at the Fair” is to stimulate interest in the sciences amongst fairgoers and to encourage them to consider careers in areas that are driving the region’s economy. At the center of the I-Hub at the Fair experience will be the STEM Museum produced by Mobile Ed Productions. A portion of the Fair’s Showplace Building will be turned into a state-of-the-art, hands-on children’s museum focused on STEM education. Fairgoers will be encouraged to explore, at their own pace, a variety of stations that will include 3D printing, parabolic arch building and the ability to turn kinetic energy into electricity.

 

CYRK LIVE!

Audiences will be amazed and dazzled by a collection of international circus performers in the all new “Cyrk LIVE!” show to debut at the Fair on August 8th. “Cyrk LIVE!,” a  custom produced show created especially for the Erie County Fair,  will feature cycling stars, amazing aerial artists, eccentric jugglers, comedy and more. The family-friendly, single ring spectacular will take place under a colorful European-style big top tent that will host three shows on weekdays and four shows on weekend days. Also featured, as a separate show, will be the return of the Extreme Chinese Acrobats. Performing under the “big top” will allow for even higher stunts not seen at the Fair in past years. Voted one of the all-time favorites of the Erie County Fair, this talented troupe of artists will present a celebration of color and excitement featuring dancing, balancing, and incredible acrobatics. The Extreme Chinese Acrobats, who start training at an early age, perform amazing feats of skill unlike any other traveling show. Audiences will have the opportunity to experience this all new performance during three shows daily and four shows on weekend days. “Cyrk LIVE!” and the NEW Extreme Chinese Acrobat performances are free of charge with admission to the fair and will take place in a state of the art, circular tented coliseum manufactured in Italy. The structure will be 40 feet high and can accommodate up to 800 people per performance. The tent will be located near Fairgrounds Entry Gate 5.

 

RETURN OF NIGHTLY FIREWORKS

A nightly fireworks spectacular, produced by Skylighters of Western New York, will begin at 9:30pm, weather permitting and will last 10 minutes. The tradition of daily fireworks at the fair was initially inaugurated in 1927 to coincide with the first use of grounds-wide night-time illumination.  The nightly Skylighters display is presented by Ch. 2 On Your Side, WGRZ-TV.

 

DAILY FLAG RETREAT CEREMONY TO HONOR VETS & ACTIVE MILITARY

The 179th Erie County Fair will see the inauguration of a daily patriotic tradition that will honor veterans and active military members. Beginning August 8th at 6:30p and continuing each evening during the 12-day run of the Fair, a flag retreat ceremony will be held at Slade Park presented by Made In America stores. During each 8-10 minute ceremony, participating fairgoers will be asked to join in the Pledge of Allegiance. As a lone bugler sounds retreat, an American flag will be lowered and folded by an honorary color guard from a local VFW, Amvets or Legion post. The flag, which was flown during that day at the Fair, will be presented to a veteran and/or an active member of the military who will be the “Flag Retreat Honoree of the Day.” The Erie County Fair Marching Band will perform the “Star Spangled Banner,” a chorus of “God Bless America” and the “United States Armed Forces Medley.” Made In America Stores will be donating “made in the USA” flags to be used in the daily presentation.

 

NEW FOODS SHOWDOWN JUDGING

A new twist on the Erie County Fair’s New Food Showdown. On Thursday, August 9th at 11:30a, a panel of approximately 10 invited guests will judge the 2018 New Foods Showdown. The judging panel will be comprised of well-known members of the media as well as professional chefs and culinary educators. Now in its 4th year, the “New Food Showdown” showcases our food concessionaire’s culinary delights. We can’t wait to see what innovative food items our vendors have created for our 179th Fair! Judging will take place inside the Erie County Fair Cooks! Kitchen and Shoppe

 

MOBILE CHARGING STATIONS

Fairgoers will be able to charge their phones at one of six mobile charging stations. Stations will be located inside the Agriculture Discovery Center, the Event Center and Erie County Fair Kitchen as well as outside at Kiddleland, Slade Park and Marketplace.

 

MOBILE GLASS BLOWING STUDIO

Times: Daily 2:00-8:00pm. The mobile glassblowing experience will bring the artistry and education of glass making beyond the studio walls to the 179th Erie County Fair. Fairgoers will experience a multitude of information surrounding the lost art of glassblowing. Glassblowing is an interdisciplinary art form that embodies art, science, math, history, and teamwork. The exhibit will feature daily glassblowing demonstrations where 6-7 sculptures will be created. The Mobile Glass Studio was created by glass artist Ryan Gothrup.

 

MYSTERY DRESS CHALLENGE

Featured inside the Fair’s Creative Arts Building. Based on the theme, “outer space,” the Fair will provide a dress form, made of chicken wire and black fabric, and a bag of mystery items. With the provided elements, competitors must design and complete a dress during a three hour time period on Wednesday, August 15th.  Competitors can bring their own decorations to decorate the form. The winning dress will be named 2018 “Miss Universe.” (August 15, 12:00pm-3:00pm)

 

WORLD RECORD WOODEN TURNED BOWL

The Woodworker’s Clubhouse is looking to break the record for the World’s Largest Wooden Turned Bowl during the Fair. The current world record has a diameter of 13-feet, the ‘Western New York’s bowl’ will measure 15-feet in diameter; it will have a depth over 4-feet and will weight in excess of 5,000 pounds.  The Woodworker’s Clubhouse, located in West Seneca, NY (an open to the public wood shop) will be undertaking this endeavor and will be turning the bowl on their custom lathe every day during the fair until it is completed, once complete the Bowl will be on display for family picture taking.

 

BEAUTY, HEALTH & CLOTHING VENDORS:

  • Angkor Sales: Fab Brow liner, compact kits and more
  • Buffalo Icon Apparel: A Buffalo, NY T-shirt and clothing design pop art brand that celebrates everything that is fun and growing in Buffalo.
  • LulaRoe with Lisa Reese: Kids and women’s clothing including leggings, dresses, skirts, tops, & jackets
  • Nickel City Designs Buffalo/Hamburg/Seasonal themed graphics imprinted onto mugs, apparel, and more
  • Perfect Beauty with Mary Beth: Cosmetic &Skin Care Products
  • Southtown Salt Caves & Spa: Salt products and services with health benefits)
  • Stacey’s Gifts Galore Scentsy Fragrance, Wax & Warmers, Diffusers & Oils, Clean & Laundry Care
  • Swirly Bracelets: Handmade no clasp, wrap bracelets of silver, crystals, stones & pearls)
  • What Winners Wear: Equestrian Apparel, Artwork & more)
  • Wire Works: Handmade name jewelry made while you wait. Displayed in either sterling silver or gold overlay)
  • Yellowwood: Soap, No Poo/Dry Shampoo, Bath Buzzers, Recycled Paper, Coconuts)

 

HOME DÉCOR & GIFT VENDORS:

  • Angelus Gallery: Painting and Watercolor Angel Art
  • Go Fish: Functional Art 4 Kids along with You & Me Sittin’ In a Tree
  • Goldenlook of WNY: Epoxy/stone flooring applied over a concrete surface
  • Lackawanna Chiropractic: Promoting Chiropractic Services
  • Mystic Spirit Shoppe: Selling crystals, pendulums, and incense. Medium performing tarot card readings
  • Norwex: Cleaning supplies from home essentials to bath & body
  • Pink Zebra Home: Simmer Pots, Simmering Lights, Wax Melts, Reed Diffusers, and Soaks
  • Sand Ornaments by K Star: Ornaments made from Florida sand
  • Timbo’s Licorice Ropes: Various Flavors of Licorice Ropes
  • Traeger Pallet Grills: Traeger brand wood pellet grills, wood pellets, sauces & ribs.

 

GADGET & SERVICE VENDORS:

  • Amazing Products: Glass and tile cutters
  • Exact Imagery: Laser Art, Drawing, Graphics, & Photo
  • Own Your Own Arcade: Arcade video games for sale
  • Personal Etchings: Acrylic etched nightlights, keychains, ornaments, bottle stoppers, memorials, wedding toppers & home décor
  • Shoe MGK: Shoe Cleaning done as you walk by along with shoe cleaning products
  • Shrink3d: Create 3D figurines/statues of people! Through 3D scanning and 3D printing technology, you can create lifelike replicas of people and their families
  • TLM International: Demonstrate foldable mobility scooters that are lightweight and portable
  • Foresters Financial Services: Informational insurance booth.

 

BANDALONI

100% live musical one man band show of the highest professional caliber that is good fun and entertaining for people of all ages. Get this, he uses no backing tracks! Bandaloni the one man band draws from a century deep well of classic songs, spanning all musical genres with an emphasis on Rock & Roll and Country. The show also involves lots of audience participation combined with humor and astounding novelty tricks executed on his custom made guitar and drum.

 

CATHERINE HICKLAND – Hypnotist

Actress, author and Hypnotist Catherine Hickland takes you on a subconscious journey through the incredible that will leave you crying with laughter and pondering the boundaries of mental power. Watch as the impossible becomes real. Shy audience members are transformed into the stars of the show. The unknowable is revealed. The science of the mind is turned into something that’s intriguing, romantic, and poetic all at once. This show is fast paced, hilarious, clean and family friendly.

 

ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF’S GO DIVE NOW POOL EXPERIENCE

Try scuba diving in the fun and easy environment provided by the Go Dive Now Pool experience. Attendees can try diving in a comfortable environment with the help of trained professionals. Bring your swimsuit – we’ll provide the rest. Attendees over the age of 10 are welcome to try diving at no additional cost. Children ages 10 and 11 must have an adult try diving with them. Children 12 or older can get in on their own as long as an adult is present at poolside. The pool will be staffed with professional instructors and dive leaders from local professional dive centers. No prior registration required. Go Dive Now Pool Details: The 30-foot, 15,000-gallon Go Dive Now pool and exhibit is complete with all the latest scuba gear including regulators, tanks, wetsuits, masks, fins, and more. Limited Dates.

 

HORSES, HORSES, HORSES!

Lisa Dufresne has turned her love of animals into a lifelong career. Her natural skill with horses led to a career performing, choreographing and competing with her horses. This show displays many kinds of equine acts performed by various equines for your entertainment. This show is fun for the whole family and perfect for any horse lover you know.

 

JON STETSON – Mentalist

The Stetson Experience is intelligent, interactive, sophisticated fun. Along with hundreds of corporate appearances, Jon has performed for three U.S. Presidents, The King of Sweden, The Royal Family of Monaco, and has appeared on several major Television Networks. Interjecting uproarious comedy into each program, Jon creates a hilarious and unique presentation that never fails to blow the audience away. Stetson blends the art of Mystery with the study of Psychology, the predictability of human nature and the power of intuition, with a disarming sense of humor. The result is slack jawed amazement, where the most skeptical of audience members begin to feel a renewed sense of wonder as impossibilities become realities.

 

MAX POWER & NITRO

Max Power is a 9’ tall walking, talking, mobile dance party! Accompanied by his custom built monster truck named NITRO, Max strolls through the Fair in grand fashion. Max will keep you entertained with personal interaction, silly jokes, crazy photo poses and impromptu dance parties.

 

NINJA EXPERIENCE

This team of martial arts experts has been wowing audiences around the world with high-flying, jaw-dropping performances that showcase an extraordinary display of extreme breaking and theatrics. This show has it all- crowd interaction, comedy skits, and big stunts! When they all come together it creates a ninja warrior meets parkour and free running, total ninja experience.

 

EXTREME LOG MAKEOVER

‘Extreme log make over’ are the words used to describe what Tom and Dawna do. They are one of the few husband and wife chainsaw carving teams in our country. Every carving is hand crafted from start to finish. They both have been a part of invitational only competitions, have been guests at nationally recognized carver shows, and have had the excitement of doing tag team speed carves.  Funds raised benefit the Erie County Agricultural Society Scholarship Fund.

 

U.S. ARMY MOBILE USABILITY LAB (MULE)

The MULE Semi is an 18-wheel-tractor-trailer that is self- contained and climate controlled. It is an interactive exhibit with state of the art technology. Each part of the exhibit is virtual reality and S.T.E.M. based interaction. Inside: Augmented Reality Sand Table, HTC Vive System, Oculus Rift System, Distracted Driver System, and Humvee Simulator.