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The Erie County Agricultural Society (ECAS) is pleased to present up to $20,000 in scholarship opportunities to students who participate in the Erie County Fair. Scholarships are awarded based on general Fair participation and those involved in agricultural related activities. Since its inception in the 1950s, the scholarship program’s goal has been to connect the region’s students with agriculture, business, and volunteerism. Two scholarship categories are available:

 

The Erie County Fair Scholarships seeks students who are enrolled or enrolling in a college or university. These students must have participated in the Erie County Fair in some capacity in order to be eligible. Participation includes, but is not limited to, employment, exhibition, volunteering, marching band, or other performances.

 

The Erie County Agricultural Society Scholarship is limited to students who are pursuing an agriculture related career. Students must be enrolled or enrolling in a college or university and must be able to describe how their field of study will help them in their agricultural endeavors. Applicants must show participation in the Erie County Fair or Erie County Agricultural Society sponsored activities.

 

Eligible applicants do not have to attend a college in Erie County or be residents of New York State.

 

The 2019 scholarship applications are available online  https://www.ecfair.org/p/other/scholarships or at area high schools and colleges. The application postmark deadline is April 12, 2019. Questions regarding the scholarship program should be directed to the Erie County Agricultural Society’s Maria Lucero at 716-649-3900 ext. 6413.

 

The growth of Western New York’s home cider industry, along with continued consumer acceptance of the adult beverage, has prompted the Erie County Fair to add a home hard cider competition to its Competitive Exhibits program. Beginning Monday April 1^st and continuing until Friday, April 5^th, cider making hobbyists will have the opportunity to submit their hard cider for judging. Once named the 2019 “Erie County Fair Best In Show Cider,” the winning home hard cider will receive a gold medal for excelling and then be professionally reproduced by BlackBird Cider Works for sale during the Fair.

 

“Hard cider has become a tasty, gluten free beverage option for many who are looking for an alternative to beer,” said Paula Smith, Manager of Competitive Exhibits. “The Erie County Fair is proud to partner with Barker, New York’s BlackBird Cider Works to increase the visibility of cider in the region and to honor the region’s talented home cider makers.”

 

A $20 entry fee allows home cider makers to submit hard ciders in categorical styles that include modern cider, fruit cider, hop cider, spiced cider, wood-aged cider and an “anything goes” class. Any New York State resident is eligible to enter the competition. Judging is scheduled to take place Saturday, April 27^th inside the Fair’s Ag-Grange Building. Top ciders will be selected through a blind tasting panel made up of two, cider industry knowledgeable, judges.

 

Home hard cider makers interested in entering the competition can find complete rules and guidelines on the Erie County Fair’s website at https://bit.ly/2tWfURm. Entries can be dropped off on Monday, April 1^st through Friday, April 5^th between 9am and 5pm (with a copy of the entry form) to the Main Office of the Fairgrounds OR the Buffalo Cider Hall located at 155 Chandler Street on April 4^th or 5^th between the hours of 4p and 10p.

 

The judging of hard cider is just one of the competitions held annually by the Erie County Fair. In 2019, over 13,000 entries are expected to be received and judged by the Fair’s Competitive Exhibits Office. The wide range of ribbon winning categories include agriculture, conservation and creative arts, among others. Entry information for all other categories will be available online starting May 1st.

 

About the Erie County Fair

The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership organization. Established in 1819, the Society is the oldest civic organization in Western New York. The mission of the Erie County Agricultural Society (ECAS), sponsors of the Erie County Fair, is to preserve and enhance, by educational endeavors, the agricultural and historical legacy of New York State. The Fair strives to fulfill appropriate aspects of the agricultural, educational, entertainment and recreational needs of Western New York.  The 180th Erie County Fair will be held August 7th – 18th, 2019 (www.ECFair.org).

 

About BlackBird Cider Works

Producer of award-winning hard ciders sourced from Western New York grown apples. Founded in 2006 by Scott Donovan after the purchase of a commercial apple orchard in the Town of Somerset, Niagara County, New York. In 2011 the first production run of cider was completed with the opening of the BlackBird Cider Works tasting room in March of 2012.  BlackBird Cider Works is distributed in seven states in locally by Try-It Distributing. In 2018 Donovan opened the Buffalo Cider Hall located on Chandler Street in the historic Black Rock neighborhood of Buffalo. (www.blackbirdciders.com)

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Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, one of America’s most successful stand-up comedians, will bring his “Beyond The Fluffy World Tour” to the 180^th Erie County Fair’s Gusto Grandstand on Saturday, August 10^th, 2019 at 8pm.  General admission tickets at $28; reserved seats will be $55/$40.

 

Performing to sold-out venues around the world, Iglesias was recently featured in The Hollywood Reporter’s Top 40 Comedy Players of 2018 issue alongside comedy giants Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Lorne Michaels. California native Iglesias honed his comedic skills in biker bars and dives before becoming one of the most popular comics in the U.S. Unlike many in the stand-up world, Iglesias’ globally appealing comedy stays mostly clean and his non-controversial material appeals to audiences of all ages and walks of life. Gabriel’s stand-up comedy is a mixture of storytelling, parodies, characters and sound effects that bring his personal experiences to life. He is also one of the most watched comedians on YouTube with over 380,000,000 views and has over 14 million followers across social media.

 

Tickets for Gabriel Iglesias will go on sale to the general public at 10a, Thursday, March 7^th at Tickets.com, by phone at 1-888-223-6000, or in person at the Fairgrounds Main Office. Office hours are Monday-Friday from 9:00a-4:00p. Tickets purchased prior to the day of the show include admission to the Erie County Fair on the day of the performance.

 

For more information and to purchase tickets visit: http://smarturl.it/ECFair_Fluffy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have a creative idea that’s worth sharing? Is there a concept you’re dying to explore with our community? Can you share what you know in a format that educates and entertains? If so, the Erie County Fair would love for you to join its series of “I-Talks.” Based on the popular TEDx platform of sharing remarkable ideas, the speaker series will be part of the Fair’s expanded “I-Hub at the Fair” pavilion. “I-Hub at the Fair,” with the “I” standing for “innovation, imagination & ingenuity,” debuted in 2018 to highlight Western New York’s growing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) based economy and educational opportunities.

 

During the 12-day run of the 2019 Erie County Fair, speakers will be given the platform to deliver big ideas on a variety of topics based on the I-Hub’s central theme of “innovation, imagination & ingenuity.” Per the traditional TEDx rules, presenters will be allowed 18 minutes to speak.

 

From now through June 1^st, those interested can apply online by visiting www.ecfair.org/p/entertainment/i-hub-at-the-fair/i-hub-talk-application.

 

Presenters and presentations will be chosen based on how well they fit the vision of the I-Hub and the variety of the presentations for the day.

 

On March 16^th the Erie County Agricultural Society will conduct a “Maple Extravaganza Tour” providing a behind the scenes look at Western New York’s vibrant maple syrup industry. The four-hour tour, open to all ages, costs $20 per person and includes bus transportation to two local maple farms, a homecooked pancake breakfast, guided tours of two sugar bushes and a maple cream “make & take” activity.

 

 

The “Maple Extravaganza Tour” takes place before the start of the region’s popular Maple Weekend produced by the New York State Maple Producers Association.  At the Wendel and Ploetz Maple Syrup farms tour, goers will experience the sugar making processes from the tapping of trees to the boiling and finishing processes. Family traditions will be shared that will provide a greater understanding on what it takes area farmers to bring pure maple syrup to market.

 

 

The tour is part of the Society’s ongoing Adult Ag-cation program that promotes a greater understanding of the region’s agricultural resources and provides instruction on how to use agriculture in everyday life. For more information and to register please visit https://www.ecfair.org/p/entertainment/adult-ag-ucation

 

The Erie County Fair has announced that it’s “I-Hub at the Fair” exhibit will be expanded during the upcoming 180^th Erie County Fair this August. “I-Hub at the Fair,” with the “I” standing for “innovation, imagination & ingenuity,” debuted in 2018 to highlight Western New York’s growing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) based economy and educational opportunities. During the 2019 Erie County Fair, the I-Hub’s exhibit and demonstration space will be further developed into a stand-alone, 6,000 square feet pavilion.

 

“Our goal is to excite fairgoers about STEM based businesses and industries that are changing the economy of Western New York,” said CEO & Fair Manager Jessica Underberg.

 

With the additional exhibit space, the Erie County Fair is now accepting applications from interested business, organizations and educational institutions for participation in this regional celebration of Western New York’s growing STEM economy. An application form and details can be found at: www.ecfair.org/p/other/i-hub-at-the-fair.

 

One of the new attractions already scheduled for the 2019 edition of the “I-Hub” is the Innovation Station. This fun-filled, state-of-the-art children’s exhibit will feature hands-on, immersive experiences that will take families on a journey through STEM learning. Fairgoers will be encouraged to explore, at their own pace, a variety of stations that will include “Weird Science” (Microscopes,  Kinetic sand, Vortex tubes), “Ignite the Light” (The power of static electricity showcased through Van De Graaff demonstrations) and  a virtual reality experience that will showcase VR in medicine.

 

During its inaugural year in 2018, the I-Hub brought together some of Western New York State‘s leading companies and organizations who are leading the charge including the Buffalo Niagara Manufacturing Alliance, National Grid, EagleHawk, Staub Precision Machine, Praxair, SomaDetect, University at Buffalo GEM (Genome, Environment & Microbiome), UB Society for Automotive Engineers, Girl Scouts of Western New York, UB NanoSat, The Buffalo Manufacturing Works, The New York Power Authority, FIRST Robotics and the Northland Workforce Training Center.

 

About the Erie County Fair

 

The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership organization. Established in 1819, the Society is the oldest civic organization in Western New York. The mission of the Erie County Agricultural Society (ECAS), sponsors of the Erie County Fair, is to preserve and enhance, by educational endeavors, the agricultural and historical legacy of New York State. The Fair strives to fulfill appropriate aspects of the agricultural, educational, entertainment and recreational needs of Western New York.  The 180th Erie County Fair will be held August 7th – 18th, 2019. (www.ECFair.org)

 

Bringing together the region’s farming community and the services necessary for daily operations is the goal of the 9^th Annual Western New York Farm Show, January 31- February 2, 2019 at the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg, New York. The exposition is sponsored by the Erie County Agricultural Society.

 

 

The Western New York Farm Show strives to educate farmers from around the region about the latest cutting-edge agricultural products and technology. Vendors include feed, seed, and equipment dealers, farm service providers, and non-for-profits that specialize in agriculture education, promotion, and advancement. Industry professionals will lead seminars daily covering a variety of topics and show goers will have an opportunity to earn spray credits during pesticide recertification classes. New for 2019 will be a Farmer’s Bazaar showcasing local, homemade and regionally grown products. The show will also feature a number of spectator and participant driven competitions.

 

 

The inaugural WNY Farm Show Lumberjack Classic on Saturday, February 2^nd at 10am will pit some of the best timbersport competitors in the nation against each other for cash prizes. During this free event, spectators will be able to see competitors chop and saw their way through a series of events that include “Jack and Jill Crosscut,”  “Open Springboard,” and “Open Axe Throw.”

 

 

High School students and “real world” mechanics (18-21 years of age) will be able to show off their skills during the NAPA Auto Parts Mechanics Competition Friday, February 1^st. The 4^th Annual Farmer Elite Toss Hay Bale Throwing Competition sponsored by Cintas will take place each day of the show inside the Agriculture Discovery Center.  A “pee wee” toss featuring competitors 12 & under will take place daily before the adult competition. A children’s pedal tractor race will take place on Saturday, February 2^nd at 11am.  The ADMAR Skid Steer Rodeo, scheduled for Noon each day of the show, will time the fastest drivers as they navigate an obstacle course and compete against the clock.

 

 

Free and open to the public, the WNY Farm Show will be held inside two heated buildings on the Fairgrounds. Show times are: Thursday, January 31^st, 10:00am-4:00pm; Friday, February 1^st, 10:00am-4:00pm; Saturday, February 2^rd, 9:00am-3:00pm. For more information or to register for any of the open competitions, visit WNYFarmShow.com , email wnyfarmshow@ecfair.org or call 716-649-3900 ext. 6488.

 

 

The Erie County Fairgrounds is located in Hamburg, New York easily accessible by the New York State Thruway (I-90) off exit 56. The grounds are located just 20 minutes south of Buffalo. For GPS users, use the address 5820 South Park Avenue, Hamburg, New York 14075.

 

 

About the Erie County Agricultural Society

 

The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership organization. Established in 1819, the Society is the oldest civic organization in Western New York. The mission of the Erie County Agricultural Society (ECAS), sponsors of the WNY Farm Show and Erie County Fair, is to preserve and enhance, by educational endeavors, the agricultural and historical legacy of New York State. (www.ECFair.org)

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Jessica Underberg, CEO & Fair Manager of the Erie County Agricultural Society, was recently elected as the 2019 Chair of the International Association of Fairs & Expositions (IAFE). The appointment took place during the IAFE Annual Convention in San Antonio, TX. During the course of the year Underberg will be the spokesperson for the fair industry visiting and speaking at fairs and events across North America. Underberg becomes only the second representative from Western New York to hold this international position following the election of former Erie County Fair Manager Paul Laing to Chair in 1990.

 

 

In 2017, Jessica was appointed as Chief Executive Officer & Fair Manager of the Erie County Fair. Her current responsibilities include all aspects of the 12-month operations of the 270-acre Erie County Fairgrounds. She leads activities related to the annual Erie County Fair, all non-fair events and oversees 50 full-time, 15 part-time and over 750 seasonal employees.

 

 

Her involvement in the Erie County Fair began in 1985 while participating in various exhibits in the Fair’s Youth Development Building. Underberg began working for the ECAS in 1996 when she began working part-time in the Fair’s Administrative Office. Following graduation from Canisius College in 1998, where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Sciences, she joined the Society full-time. In 2000 she was named the Fair’s Agriculture and Competitive Exhibits Manager.

 

 

During Underberg’s tenure as Agricultural Manager, she drew deep into her own agriculture background having grown up on a family dairy farm in nearby Collins, New York. In 1999 she created the Fair’s AgSperience exhibit to bring fairgoers closer to farmers, their animals and crops. The success of this program resulted to the development and construction of the Agricultural Discovery Center in 2014. In 2010 she created the award winning Farm 2 Table educational program with the goal to teach students about the importance of agriculture in their lives, reinforce healthy nutrition and to engage their natural curiosity through a multimodal approach.

 

 

She actively participates in a network of professionals among national and international fair associations. In 2007, Jessica earned her Certified Fair Executive status from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE). She has served on various IAFE committees and has been elected to numerous leadership posts including being the IAFE’s Board of Directors Zone 1 Representative from 2014 to 2016. In 2008 Underberg was on a team that helped develop the IAFE’s Young Professionals Initiative as a way to encourage a new generation of leadership among fairs across the world.

 

 

She is a member of the New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs where she served as the organization’s President in 2010-2011 and was on the Board of Directors of the Cornell Cooperative Extension from 2009 to 2011. She represented the Erie County Fair at the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth’s conferences in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2010 and Brisbane, Australia in 2014. She is a member of Buffalo’s Business First “40 under 40” class of 2014.

 

 

Underberg resides in Springville, New York with her husband Mark and her two daughters Lilly and Ella.

 

 

About the Erie County Fair

The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership organization. Established in 1819, the Society is the oldest civic organization in Western New York. The mission of the Erie County Agricultural Society (ECAS), sponsors of the Erie County Fair, is to preserve and enhance, by educational endeavors, the agricultural and historical legacy of New York State. The Fair strives to fulfill appropriate aspects of the agricultural, educational, entertainment and recreational needs of Western New York. The 2019 Erie County Fair is scheduled for August 7^th -18^th. (www.ECFair.org).

 

 

About the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE)

 

Based in Springfield, Mo., the IAFE is a nonprofit corporation, serving state, provincial, regional, and county agricultural fairs, shows, exhibitions, and expositions. Its associate members include state and provincial associations of fairs, non-agricultural expositions and festivals, associations, corporations, and individuals engaged in providing products and services to its members, all of whom are interested in the improvement of fairs, shows, expositions, and allied fields. The IAFE was founded in 1885 with a half dozen fairs as members. Today, over 2,500 fairs, festivals, expositions and suppliers in the United States and internationally, are members of IAFE.

 

A ranking of top fairs and exhibitions has named the Erie County Fair the largest county fair east of the Rocky Mountains, the 4^th largest county fair in the United States and 13^th largest fair overall in North America in 2018. The ranking of fairs, based on attendance, is published annually by CarnivalWarehouse.com. The “Top 50 Fair” list includes all county and state fairs, exhibitions and rodeo shows in the United States and Canada.

 

#1 San Diego County Fair, Del Mar, CA                               1,561,236        31 days

#2 Orange County Fair, Costa Mesa, CA                             1,470,636        31 days

#3 Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona, CA                         1,251,209        24 days

#4 ERIE COUNTY FAIR, HAMBURG, NY                           1,198,789        12 days

 

 

“This ranking is something that the entire Buffalo-Niagara region can take pride in accomplishing,” said Marty Biniasz, Erie County Fair Marketing Manager. “When looking at the ranking, you need to consider that the Erie County Fair out draws most state fairs in the United States. The west coast county fairs that rank above us benefit from a much longer operating run and are located in top 10 US population markets.”

 

 

In 2018, the “Best 12 Days of Summer” in Western New York State concluded with a final attendance of 1,198,789.  This is a .46% increase from 2017 and was the second highest attended Fair in the Erie County Fair’s history. The all-time record was achieved in 2014 with 1,220,101.

 

 

The following is CarnivalWarehouse.com’s 2018 Top 25 Fairs:

 

#1          Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Houston, TX – 2,408,550

#2          Texas State Fair, Dallas, TX – 2,049,118

#3          Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, MN – 2,046,533

#4          San Antonio Livestock Show, San Antonio, TX – 1,900,000

#5          San Diego County Fair, Del Mar, CA – 1,561,236

#6          Eastern State Exhibition, Springfield, MA – 1,543,470

#7          Orange County Fair, Costa Mesa, CA – 1,470,636

#8          Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, ON – 1,400,000

#9          Great New York State, Syracuse, NY – 1,279,010

#10        Calgary Stampede, Calgary, ALB – 1,271,241

#11        Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona, CA –  1,251,209

#12        Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, Fort Worth, TX – 1,214,000

#13        ERIE COUNTY FAIR, HAMBURG, NY – 1,198,789

#14        Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, IA – 1,130,260

#15        Arizona State Fair, Phoenix, AZ – 1,107,696

#16        Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA – 1,100,000

#17        Wisconsin State Fair, West Allis, WI – 1,037,982

#18        Tulsa State Fair, Tulsa, OK  – 1,025,000

#19        North Carolina State Fair, Raleigh, NC – 977,256

#20        Ohio State Fair, Columbus, OH – 908,306

#21        Indiana State Fair, Indianapolis, IN – 860,131

#22        Oklahoma State Fair, Oklahoma City, OK – 850,000

#23        K Days, Edmonton, ALB –  808,009

#24        National Western Stock Show, Denver, CO – 705,574

#25        Pacific National Exhibition, Vancouver, BC – 705,381

 

 

See complete list at: http://carnivalwarehouse.com/files/top50/2018list.pdf

 

The Erie County Fair was recognized internationally with seven first place awards in a recent competition sponsored by International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE). A total of 25 awards were received. The Erie County Fair competed in a divisional class that consisted of fairs with attendance of over one million, which puts the Erie County Fair in the same class as many of the largest state fairs. The Erie County Fair won awards in the following categories:

 

 

AGRICULTURAL AWARDS

1^st Place – Innovative Ways To Use Technology (QR Codes in Urban Farming)

1^st Place – Agriculture Education Photo

2^nd Place – Non-fair related agriculture event (Adult Ag-Education programs)

2^nd Place – Livestock

2^nd Place – Agricultural program area beautification (Urban Farming Trail)

 

 

HALL OF HONOR COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS

1^st Place – Overall Marketing Campaign

1^st Place – Website

1^st Place – Marketing/Promotional Display Piece (Erie County Fair Beer)

1^st Place – Promotional Advertising Poster

2^nd Place – Newspaper Ad: Black & White

2^nd Place – Electronic Newsletter

2^nd Place – Web Advertisement

3^rd Place – Single Brochure/Flyer

3^rd Place – Use of Technology (Fair Day Live television show)

3^rd Place – Promotional Event (New Food Showdown Celebrity Judging)

 

 

COMPETITIVE EXHIBITS AWARDS

1^st Place – Off Season Non-Animal Contest (Hay Bale Throwing Competition)

2^nd Place – Display Method or Prop (Divider Wall Made of Pallets Used)

2^nd Place – Single Photo of a Display

2^nd Place – Display Photo Series

3^rd Place – Single Photo of a General Display, Non-Animals

3^rd Place – New Single Class of Non-Animal Competitive Exhibits

3^rd Place – General Display Photo Series

 

 

INNOVATION IN SPONSORSHIP AWARD

3^rd Place – Sponsorship Innovation (General Welding/WNY Snow Gauge)

3^rd Place – First Time Sponsorship (Lake Shore Savings Bank/Charging Stations)

3^rd Place – Sponsorship Continuity (Made In America/Daily Flag Retreat Ceremony)

 

 

The awards were presented at the IAFE Convention in San Antonio, Texas that was held November 25-28, 2018. Over 2,500 fairs, festivals, expositions and suppliers in the United States and internationally, are members of IAFE.