New York State Fair vendors expecting a strong finish

GEDDES, N.Y. (WSYR) — Vendors are hopeful for bigger crowds during the Labor Day weekend at the New York State fair after a few days of inclement weather over the past 10 days.

“We did have some rough weather,” Phil Galuppi, owner of Stix and Things, said. “Every time sales were going good, we were getting a line, and the rain would come in. So, it was a little disappointing on that.”

But Julie LaFave, the Director of the Great State Fair, said that is how it goes every year as the summer comes to an end.

“It goes both ways,” LaFave said. “It’s a double-edged sword. When the numbers are lower here, when it’s colder here, the vendors still get business because the person who doesn’t want to stand in a really long line on a really busy day will stand in line because somebody may be like, ‘I don’t want to stand 15 minutes in line, but I’ll stand in line five minutes for that.’”

Now, business appeared to be booming on Friday night.

“We get to serve the community,” Anne-Marie Marji, owner of Fair Deli, said. “You know, all of these lovely faces. So, I’m excited about it. We’re prepping, we’re going to get ready, we’re going to get stocked up, get everybody in and out.”

Vendors said they expect to break even this weekend with thousands flooding the fairgrounds.

“We expect they’re going to eat everything we have,” Ernest Harris, owner of Chick-N-Que, said. “Everything. We’re from North Carolina. We don’t plan on taking anything home.”

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