Long Island Fair Coming to Old Bethpage Next Week

The 174th annual Long Island Fair will be coming to Old Bethpage Village Restoration at the end of the month.

The fair will take place over two consecutive weekends: Sept. 24 and 25, and Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 and 2. The fair will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Entrance fees are $12 for adults, $8 for children 5 to 12 and seniors 60 and up. Children 5 and under and active military personnel are free. Sept. 30 is Senior Citizen Friday, where senior admission is $5. The Early Bird Special runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 to noon, where all tickets are $7.

“The Long Island Fair, one of America’s oldest agricultural festivals, is a family-friendly festival offering a range of attractions, including exotic animals, reptile shows, pony and carnival rides, as well as traditional live music," said County Executive Ed Mangano. "I invite residents and visitors to join us at the Long Island Fair.”

Visitors can enjoy magic shows, a petting zoo and historical entertainment. Stilt walkers traverse the grounds, and entertainers enthrall families with puppets, juggling and storytelling. All of these festivities continue a 173-year tradition. Attractions such as livestock shows, tractor rides, Civil War reenactments, and Rough Rider demonstrations whisk riders back to another era. Visitors will also find:

• Historical demonstrations like tin-smithing, pottery, blacksmithing, weaving and candle-making;
• Dance opportunities: brass bands, a fiddler, bluegrass band Buddy Merriam & Backroads, Homegrown String Band, and kids' singer-songwriter Patricia Shih;
• Tests of skill: sawing, corn-husking, and scarecrow-building contests; guessing the weight of a giant pumpkin;
• Rides on camels, ponies, horse-drawn wagons, a hot-air balloon, and a 19th-century carousel;
• Eats for sale: candied apples, pumpkins, organic veggies, fresh-made candy, giant turkey legs, and funnel cakes;

Baseball fans will also be able to enjoy the end-of-season matches of the Old Time Baseball League, which recreates baseball as it was played in the latter half of the 19th century, with teams competing in authentic uniforms and playing under the names of Long Island clubs of that era.

The Long Island Fair is the New York State-recognized county fair for Queens, Nassau and Suffolk, and involves the cooperation of the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums and the Agricultural Society of Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Thousands of exhibits are entered every year in friendly competition, with blue ribbon categories including livestock, flowers and vegetables from farms and home gardens, culinary, needlework, hobbies, and a junior division for those 13 and younger. This year’s competitions will also include an “Advanced” category for new professionals, novices and students who are serious about their craft. Entries in this category will require a fee, with generous first, second and third place prizes; and the judges will be required to submit credentials in the specific classes.

For more information about the Long Island Fair, visit www.lifair.org.

Photo: Bluesguy