WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THE NEWS NOW AND BRING YOU TO SYRACUSE, OR ACTUALLY TO GEDDES, A SMALL TOWN OUTSIDE OF SYRACUSE.

THAT'S WHERE EVERY YEAR THE GREAT NEW YORK STATE FAIR IS HELD.

AS I LIKE TO SAY THE FAIR IS A LOVE LETTER TO THE REST OF NEW YORK.

SO THIS YEAR, WE SENT A CREW AGAIN TO BRING THE FAIR TO YOU.

"NEW YORK NOW" REPORTER SHANTEL DESTRA HAS THAT STORY.

[ THEME MUSIC ] IT'S A WONDERFUL DAY HERE AT THE 2023 GREAT NEW YORK STATE FAIR IN SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

VISITORS HAVE TRAVELED FROM NEAR AND FAR TO EXPERIENCE ALL THAT THE FAIR HAS TO OFFER, WHICH IS ALSO THE LONGEST-RUNNING STATE FAIR IN THE COUNTRY.

COME ALONG AS WE EXPERIENCE FAN FAVORITES AND ALSO THE NEWEST EXHIBITS MAKING THEIR DEBUT AT THE FAIR THIS YEAR.

TO KICK THINGS OFF, WE CAUGHT UP WITH SEAN HENNESSEY.

SO I JUST WANT TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE 2023 GREAT NEW YORK STATE FAIR.

IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO BE WITH YOU HERE AS NEWLY MINTED DIRECTOR OF THE GREAT NEW YORK STATE FAIR.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] YAY!

YAY!

AFTER SERVING AS INTERIM DIRECTOR LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNOR OFFICIALLY APPOINTED HENNESSEY AS DIRECTOR AT THE START OF THIS YEAR'S FAIR.

OH, I WAS JUST SHOCKED.

I REALLY WAS WHEN SHE ANNOUNCED IT.

I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS COMING AND YOU KNOW, I'M A LONGTIME PUBLIC SERVANT.

YOU KNOW, I WORKED WITH A COUPLE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND TO HAVE THIS HONOR TO WORK WITH THE FOLKS HERE ON THE GROUND AND ESPECIALLY COMMISSIONER BALL AND FOR GOVERNOR HOCHUL, IT'S JUST REALLY A TRUE HONOR.

IT REALLY IS.

YES, AWESOME.

WHAT WAS YOUR VISION FOR THE STATE FAIR THIS YEAR?

REALLY TO REENGAGE WITH AGRICULTURE.

AS YOU SEE AROUND HERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED VOICE OF THE FARMER.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE AN AGRICULTURAL-BASED FAIR, RIGHT?

A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE THE BLINK, THE CIRCUS, THE MIDWAY AND ALL THE GREAT FOOD THAT WE HAVE HERE.

REALLY WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO, IT BOILS DOWN TO AGRICULTURE AND INCLUSION.

HENNESSEY WAS WITH LOCAL FARMERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS TO UNVEIL THE VOICE OF THE FARMER GARDEN, WHICH IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND FARM IRES GARDEN AT A STATE FAIR IN THE U.S., FEATURING MORE THAN 35 DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEGETABLES, HERBS, FRUITS AND OTHER PLANTS.

IT WAS ALSO AGRICULTURE CAREER DAY AT THE FAIR SO WE CAUGHT UP WITH RICHARD BALL, COMMISSIONER OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

FOR HIM AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, THE FAIR IS ABOUT BRINGING NEW YORK'S AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY TO NEW YORKERS.

ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG ONES.

WE'LL HAVE ABOUT A MILLION NEW YORKERS, PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE REGION, INDIANA, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY COME HERE AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A TOUCH POINT WITH AGRICULTURE.

RIGHT.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FOOD, THE IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION TODAY, MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER IN OUR LIVES AND JUST A TOUCH POINT.

FOR SOME OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, HOPEFULLY A CAREER TOUCH POINT.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, MOMENTS DADS, TO SEE THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FOOD SYSTEM.

AND THAT'S MORE THAN JUST WHAT GROWS IN THE GROUND.

THE FAIR IS ALSO HOME TO HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS FOR A TWO-WEEK SPAN, INCLUDING ROOSTERS WHO HAVE A DAILY CROWING COMPETITION.

THE DAY WE WERE THERE, THE WINNER WAS FRANKIE, AND HIS OWNER, HENRY PASCALL.

HE LIKES WHISTLING.

HE LIKES A LOT OF ATTENTION SO IF YOU GIVE HIM A LOT OF ATTENTION, HE USUALLY CROWS AND HE LIKES HIS HENS.

THAT'S THE WAY HE REALLY CROWS AWESOME.

HOW WILL YOU BE REWARDING FRANKIE FOR BEING THE WINNING ROOSTER TODAY?

ANY SPECIAL TREATS OR ANYTHING?

HE WILL GET SOME PELLETS AND STUFF WHEN HE GETS IN THE CAGE, SOME ITS AND FEED AND MAYBE SOME BREAD.

WE'LL GO BACK IN HIS CAGE AND HE'S A ROOSTER.

WE THEN CAUGHT UP WITH KELLY JEAN, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE POULTRY BARN, TO UNPACK WHAT MAKES FOR A GOOD ROOSTER CROW.

WELL, HE WAS A LITTLE SLOW, BUT WE ASKED FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION [ CROWING ] AND THEY STARTED CHEERING FOR HIM AND CLAPPING AND SOME BIG ROOSTERS LOVED THE NOISE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE CAME FROM ZERO AND WON THE COMPETITION.

BY THIS POINT IN THE DAY, WE'VE COVERED A LOT OF GROUND AND MY STOMACH WAS RUMBLING.

THE FAIR HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOODS TO OFFER, FROM BURGERS TO FRIED FOODS AND PASTRIES, BUT WE DECIDED TO TRY AN ULTIMATE FAIR FAN FAVORITE FOOD AND THAT WAS THE FAMOUS GIANELLI SAUSAGE.

OVER THE YEARS, GIANELLI HAS BECOME A STAPLE AT THE FAIR.

IT'S EVEN SAID POLITICIANS HAVE TO EAT A GIANELLI SAUSAGE FOR GOOD LUCK.

THE COMPANY ENDED ITS PARTNERSHIP AT THE FAIR IN 2021 AND DOESN'T HAVE A STAND-ALONE BOOTH ANYMORE BUT THE SAUSAGE IS STILL OFFERED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT STANDS AT THE FAIR.

OKAY, WELL, I'M SUPER EXCITED TO SHARE MY VERY FIRST GIANELLI SAUSAGE.

LET'S SEE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

WHOA.

HMM!

THAT'S GOOD.

TO KEEP IN THE SPIRIT OF BUCKET LIST ITEMS AT THE FAIR, WE THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT TIME TO HEAD TO THE DAIRY BUILDING AND SEE THIS YEAR'S BUTTER SCULPTURE.

NOW WE'RE AT THE BUTTER EXHIBIT.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A FAN FAVORITE.

THIS YEAR'S THEME IS DAIRY: EVERY DAY IS A HEALTHY TO NOURISH OUR BRAINS, BONES AND BODIES.

NEXT, WE MADE OUR WAY INSIDE THE EXPO CENTER FOR AN ATTRACTION SHOWCASING HISTORY AND HUMAN EVOLUTION.

THAT WAS THE DINOSAUR EXHIBIT WHERE I WAS SURE WE WOULD SEE MY FAVORITE HISTORIC BEAST.

[ DINOSAUR SCREAM ] THIS ATTRACTION FEATURES OVER 60 LIFE-SIZED AND REALISTIC-LOOKING DINOSAURS, TRANSCENDING VISITORS BACK TO A TIME WHEN DINOSAURS ROAMED THE EARTH YEARS AGO.

SOME ARE AS TALL AS 35 FEET AND HAVE A WIDTH OF 80 FEET.

VISITORS, INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR, WERE ABLE TO SEE, TOUCH AND HEAR THE LARGE BEASTS.

AFTER LEARNING ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND HISTORY FOR MOST OF THE DAY, WE KNEW WE COULDN'T LEAVE THE FAIR WITHOUT HEADING TO THE CARNIVAL FOR SOME FUN.

WE TRIED TO WIN A BIG PRIZE, BUT COULD NOT SUCCESSFULLY MAKE A BASKETBALL BASKET AND WHILE I WAS HAVING FUN SHOOTING HOOPS, MY CREW DECIDED THEY WANTED TO HAVE SOME OF THEIR OWN FUN.

NEXT, WE DECIDED TO GET SOME SWEET TREATS.

I OPTED FOR A BINETTE, WHILE MY CREW TREATED THEMSELVES TO SOME FRIED DOUGH.

ONLY TWO OF THE ENDLESS OFFERINGS OF TASTY DESSERTS AT THE FAIR BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TODAY WAS ACTUALLY MY FAVORITE FIRST TIME AT THE STATE FAIR, BUT I HAD SO MUCH FUN.

I'LL DEFINITELY BE BACK AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

SHANTEL DESTRA, "NEW YORK NOW."

THAT WAS SHANTEL DESTRA REPORTING THE STATE FAIR RUNS THROUGH MONDAY.

YOU CAN BUY TICKETS ONLINE OR AT THE FAIR'S GATES.

WE'LL LINK TO THEIR WEBSITE ON OURS, THAT'S NYNOW.ORG.