One record fell and another was threatened on opening day of the New York State Fair.Ìý
Country music star Lainey Wilson drew 53,200 people for her Suburban Park performance, shattering the attendance record for a state fair concert. The previous high was 43,000 set by Nelly at last year's fair.Ìý
The other opening night act, Salt-N-Pepa, had 16,300 people attend their Chevy Court show.Ìý
Opening day attendance was 71,701, up from 49,112 in 2022. The opening day record for a 13-day fair is 74,027 set in 2019 — the year the fair broke an all-time attendance record with more than 1.3 million visitors.Ìý
The fair moved to a 13-day fair in 2017. In 2021, the state experimented with an 18-day fair but returned to 13 days in 2022.Ìý
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The fair resumes Thursday. The Chevy Court performers are Alex Miller (1 p.m.) and Quiet Riot (6 p.m.), while Tonic (2 p.m.) and Theory of a Deadman (8 p.m.) will play at Suburban Park.Ìý
It is Student Youth Day at the fair. Students under age 18 receive free admission. The special fair day is sponsored by SUNY Cobleskill.Ìý
Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.
Robert Harding
Online producer/politics reporter
