You Butter Believe It: 800 pounds of creamy goodness rolls in for NYS Fair sculpture

Geddes, N.Y. — More than 800 pounds of butter rolled into town over the weekend, enough to spread on toast for the entire state or, more importantly, to carve into the State Fair’s most calorie-laden masterpiece.

The cases of shortening are now sitting inside a refrigerated display case waiting for sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton to be churn them into something thousands of New Yorkers will go out of their way to see.

The 56th annual American Dairy Association North East butter sculpture, one of Central New York’s best-kept secrets every year, will be unveiled next Tuesday morning, Aug. 20. The Fair opens at 9 a.m. Aug. 21.

Victor and Pelton began chiseling this year’s buttery statue over the weekend.

“Every year, the iconic butter sculpture puts the spotlight on our state’s amazing dairy industry,” says John Chrisman, CEO American Dairy Association North East. “This work of art pays tribute to the hardworking dairy farmers of New York who work every single day to responsibly produce nutrient-rich milk, an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.”

NYS Fair butter sculpture 2024 — 800 pounds of butter arrives at the New York State Fairgrounds for this year's butter sculpture. (American Dairy Association North East)Provided photograph

The butter used for the sculpture comes from O-AT-KA Milk Products in Batavia. After being shown off during the Fair’s 13-day run, the butter will return to Western New York where it will be recycled into renewable energy at Noblehurst Farms in Pavilion.

Last year’s butter sculpture was “Dairy Every Day is a Healthy Way — Keeping Kids’ Health on Track” and highlighted the important nutritional role dairy foods play in helping brains, bones and bodies grow.

NYS Fair Butter Sculpture 2023Charlie Miller

Butter sculptures through the years:

1970: Dairy Princess and Butter Churn (William Clements)
1971: Commissioner of Agriculture and Cow (William Clements)
1972: Lifeguard and Girl (William Clements)
1973: Dairy Princess Coronation (William Clements)
1974: Carousel (William Clements)
1975: Juggler (William Clements)
1976: Little Miss Muffet (William Clements)
1977: The Magic Cow (William Clements)
1978: Kids on Skateboards (William Clements)
1979: Disco Dancers (William Clements)
1980: Milk Run Marathoners (William Clements)
1981: The “Real” Seal (William Clements)
1982: Dairy Do-Si-Do (William Clements)
1983: The Fitness Cycle (William Clements)
1984: Milk Bottle Centennial (William Clements)
1985: Soccer Player (William Clements)
1986: Darryl Strawberry (William Clements)
1987: Tom Sawyer (Raymond Mackintosh)
1988: Cow Jumping Over the Moon (Raymond Mackintosh)
1989: Wizard of Oz (Raymond Mackintosh)
1990: Original Fair Arch (Raymond Mackintosh)
1991: Boy with Double Dip Cone (Raymond Mackintosh)
1992: The Olympic Dream (Raymond Mackintosh)
1993: Kids from Camp Good Days & Special Times (Raymond Mackintosh)
1994: Pizza Tosser (Raymond Mackintosh)
1995: Everybody Loves Milk & Cookies (Duke Epolito)
1996: Everything’s Better With Butter (Sharon BuMann)
1997: The Ultimate “got milk” Moment (Sharon BuMann)
1998: Milk Memories (Sharon BuMann)
1999: Midnight Snacking (Sharon BuMann)
2000: Little Rascals (Sharon BuMann)
2001: Milk Maid: Queen for a Day (Sharon BuMann)
2002: The Pride of New York (Sharon BuMann)
2003: Mixin’ It With Milk (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2004: Love for the Land (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2005: Milk, Moms and Morning (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2006: Healthy Goals (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2007: Dairy Farming Today (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2008: Cow Jumping Over the Moon (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2009: Cow Power (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2010: Dairyville 2020 (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2011: Feeding Our Future (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2012: New York Goes for the Gold with Greek Yogurt (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2013: Getting Fresh with Local Dairy (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2014: The Great American Milk Drive (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2015: Thanks for the Milk, Moo York! (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2016: Milk Life Celebrates The Success of Team USA and the Athletes of New York State (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2017: Dairy Farmers’ Tribute to New York State Troopers (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2018: Your Milk Comes From A Good Place (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2019: Milk. Love What’s Real (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2020: Nourishing Our Future (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2021: Back to School, Sports and Play … You’re Gonna Need Milk for That (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2022: Refuel Her Greatness—Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2023: Dairy Every Day is a Healthy Way — Keeping Kids’ Health on Track” (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)
2024: TBD (Jim Victor and Marie Pelton)

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Charlie Miller finds the best in food, drink and fun across Central New York. Contact him at (315) 382-1984, or by email at cmiller@syracuse.com. You can also find him under @HoosierCuse on Twitter and on Instagram. Sign up for his weekly Where Syracuse Eats newsletter here.