A legendary Central New York food vendor will make its New York State Fair debut this year. So will a couple of stands serving tacos and one offering chocolate fondue.
Meanwhile, a few long-time favorites are dropping out, including the stand once known as the home of the Kangaroo Spiedie and one of the fair’s notable wine slushie purveyors.
The number of food vendors coming to the 2024 State Fair is roughly the same as in 2023, at about 115 or so. (The actual number of stands may be more because some vendors have multiple locations.)
But the number of vendors still falls below the pre-Covid years. Before the pandemic, the fair averaged a little more than 200 food vendors each year, according to syracuse.com archives.
Among those coming to the fair for the first time this is Bob Barker’s, a mobile hot dog truck that was a longtime fixture in downtown Syracuse and other locations.
It will serve the classic dogs and coneys, plus newer items like chicken tenders, cheeseburgers, donuts and ice cream, said Linda DeMonte, who runs the business founded in 1980 by her father, Bob Luongo. Since Luongo’s death in 2016, DeMonte has taken the truck she recently upgraded to various locations and events, but never before to the State Fair.
“I thought it would be exciting to be part of the fair,” said DeMonte, who said her stand will be located in the area along State Fair Boulevard near the outdoor basketball courts and the military information booths.
She’s looking forward to meeting new customers and greeting longtime patrons.
“My father had a loyal following and I still see it to this day,” she said.
The Saucy Sandwich, shown here with a $2 sample at the 2023 Taste of Syracuse, will make its New York State Fair debut this year. (Don Cazentre | dcazentre@syracuse.com)
Who’s in
Here are other vendors new to this year’s fair, with some examples of their menu items:
· 546 Chicken and Waffles (chicken and waffles, Jamaican beef patty, maple bacon poutine)
· Bees and Thanks You (classic grilled cheese)
· Big G’s (Cajun bourbon chicken, Maryland crab cake, seafood boil)
· Bob Barker’s Famous Hot Dogs and Coneys (hot dogs, chicken tenders, donuts and more)
· Buffalo Chicken Wing (traditional wings)
· Chocolate Treat (chocolate fondue, fruit cups, baklava)
· DiLena’s Dolcini (cookies, cotton candy, cannoli etc.)
· Generation Concessions (smoothies, lemonade, bubble tea etc.)
· GoldenKDog (all-beef hot dogs, mozzarella dogs)
· Happy L/Hanwen Liang (bubble tea, smoothies)
· Ji-Woo’s Korean Seoul Food (ramen, egg rolls, Korean food)
· JP Wilson Enterprise (pizza, calzones, nachos etc.)
· Kona Ice of Liverpool (tropical shaved ice)
· Oyster Party (lobster rolls, caviar)
· Sicilian Breeze Italian Ice and Gelato (ice cream, sundaes, coffee)
· Soul Brother’s Tacos (tacos, fried chicken, nachos etc.)
· Tacos Las Grigas (tacos, burrito bowls, churros and more)
· The Saucy Sandwich (parm sandwich, pesto parm, riggies, sausage etc.)
Some of those names might sound familiar: Both Ji-Woo’s and The Saucy Sandwich have set up at other local events, like the Taste of Syracuse.
A wine slushie from Coyote Moon Vineyards near the Expo Center at the New York State Fair. (Don Cazentre)
Who’s out
Among the vendors who did not renew for this year’s fair is Carr’s Cove, a longtime fixture in the Horticulture Building. It served items like steak and sausage sandwiches, but may have been best known for its Kangaroo Spiedies.
Also opting out is Our Vegan Corner, a stand in The Eatery building that specialized in vegan soul food. Owner Cash Young said he decided not to do the fair this year because he’s busy trying to find a new permanent location. It has had locations in Armory Square and on East Brighton Avenue in the past.
Other stands not returning this year include Gyro and Souvlaki (Greek food); Coyote Moon Vineyards (slushies); and International House of Grilling.
Also, Pizza Hut, which had been a fair sponsor in recent years, decided not to renew its contract, fair spokesman Sean Farnsworth said.
This year’s fair runs from Wednesday, Aug. 21, to Labor Day Monday, Sept. 2.
Related: Veteran NYS Fair food vendor moves to iconic fairgrounds spot. ‘Big shoes to fill’
Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.