There will be no New York State Fair this year.
To hold us over before next year’s extravaganza we thought it would be fun to go through our archives and look at fair coverage over the past 50 years.
In this installment of “State Fair Flashback,” we remember the first Fair of the millennium, 2000, and one of the Fair’s most enduring elements, the carnival game.
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Holding a pair of darts, Randall Johnson of Orlando tries to lure people to play "The Balloon Game" at the New York State Fair in 2000. He has worked as a barker on and off for 22 years.
The New York State Fair entered a new century on Aug. 24, 2000.
Everything seemed new and exciting, with some amazing attractions that would have baffled the minds of visitors who went to the 1900 State Fair.
There was a “Keebler Elf Compound,” a Kodak Multi-Media Theater, a Mad Science Theater, a Sports Illustrated for Kids 2000 Road Trip and the Jurassic Journey Leapin’ Lizards, an exhibit which featured 40 museum quality dinosaur models in the Horticulture Building.
(And there is no telling what our Fair forebearers would have thought of the Grandstand concert performers in the year 2000. Def Leppard, the Goo Goo Dolls, Britney Spears, Reba McEntire, and Christina Aguilera with Destiny’s Child were some of the headliners.)
But many of the old State Fair traditions continued.
Farmers brought their animals for judging, there were talent shows and, of course, plenty to eat.
There was also plenty of carnival games, those Midway contests which call out to the competitive sides of all of us.
Timmy Niedzwecki, 7, of Baldwinsville takes aim at the Rising Waters game with encouragement from his mother Carol during the 2000 New York State Fair.
Whether it is the gentle ribbing of friends and family challenging us to try our luck, or the less subtle pestering of the staff running them, these games have been a staple on the Midway for generations.
In 2000, older kids shot basketballs and threw darts at balloons for prizes, while youngsters played “Rising Waters,” “Slam Bank,” “Old McDonald’s Duck Pond,” “I Got It,” and the ever popular “Fish Game.”
It seems every kid tried their hand at the “Fish Game.” It was simple, throw a ping pong ball into a fishbowl and win a new pet fish.
The sad thing was that your new friend rarely survived the trip home.
But that was not always the case.
Just before the 2000 Fair started, the Post-Standard’s Amber Smith introduced readers to “Moby Dick,” a State Fair goldfish who had somehow beaten the odds.
In 1986, yes, 14 years earlier!, Joan and Roger Casanova, of East Syracuse, had gone to the Fair with their two sons, Scott, and Todd.
The boys won ten goldfish at the Fair and used their leftover money to buy fishbowls, food, and anti-chlorine solution.
Predictably, the next morning, the family found six of the fish dead in the bowl and another was found on the floor. Two more died over the next couple of couple of weeks.
But one survived and flourished, growing to be about three inches long.
Nicknamed “Moby Dick,” the otherwise plain goldfish, which received “no special treatment,” became a fixture in the family kitchen for over 14 years.
“If that sounds hard to believe,” Smith wrote, “Joan Casanova assures, ‘We don’t believe it either.’”
24-year-old Scott Casanova in 2000 with a goldfish he won 14 years ago at the State Fair.
The fish, the family joked, hung around longer than the son who had won it in 1986.
Scott Casanova graduated from Syracuse University and got his own apartment earlier in the spring of 2000.
“He looked at me and said, ‘Do you want me to take the fish,’” his mom remembered. “In the next breath he said, we’re going to get a cat.‘”
That settled that.
What was your luck like with “State Fair goldfish?” Any success stories? What was the biggest prize you have ever won at the Fair? Do you remember the Britney Spears, Reba McEntire or Christina Aguilera concerts?
Larry Rice of Sandy Creek, left, played "Slam Bank" with his daughter Rachel, 9, getting some pointers from Jeremy Suulivan, 21, of Albuquerque, NM, right, who was running the game at the 2000 New York State Fair.
Tristin Yates, 2, is held by his held by his grandmother Marilyn Gutknecht as he throws a rubber ball as he played "I Got It" during the 2000 New York State Fair. Both live in Sodus, NY. The popular fair game is similar to Bingo ... toss five balls in a row before the other players and you win.
Shiana Gallo, 4, of Baldwinsville rests on the stroller while visiting the State Fair in 2000.
Joe Brady of Johnson City, NY attempts to climb the rope ladder at the New York State Fair in 2000.
Old McDonald's Duck Pond game at the New York State Fair in 2000.
Special deals abound along the Midway at the New York State Fair in 2000.
Britney Spears performs at the 2000 State Fair Grandstand.
Country singer, Brad Paisley, performs at the 2000 State Fair's Cole Muffler Court. Photo by Julia Cumes.
Reba McEntire performs at the State Fair Grandstand in 2000.
Martina McBride performs country music at State Fair Grandstand in 2000.
Gov. George Pataki enjoys an Italian sausage during his tour at the 2000 State Fair.
President Bill Clinton shakes hands with visitors to the New York State Fair in 2000 outside of the Horticultural building.
Tony Orlando performs at the New York State Fair at Cole Muffler Court in 2000. He opened with "Tie a Yellow Ribbon".
Left to right, Darien McMullen, 6, Shanise McMullen, 8, and Katelynne Badgley, 3, all of Liverpool, sport Lost Kid Tags at the New York State Fair in 2000.
Indian Village Princess Daysha Honoust, 19, an Oneida Indian,dances with other Native Americans on Mohawk Day at the New York State Fair's Indian Village in 2000.
Nikki Piper serves Fruit Smoothies topped with whipped cream at the 2000 State Fair.
Behind the glass window, culinary judges sample entries into the bread baking competition in the Art and Home Center at the 2000 State Fair. They are from right, Candy Crider, Camillus, Florence Jutton, Syracuse and Fran Dulcich, Camillus.
Josh Hunn 15, of York in Livingston county and Bill Linsner 16, of Groveland also in Livingston county have a conversation in the 4-H Youth House before lights out at 11 p.m. The 4-H provide dormitory living for boys and girls who participate in the 2000 State Fair.
The evening just about over, some of the last fairgoers leave the horse barn at the New York State Fair in 2000.
The audience watches the multimedia tourism display produced by Ancora productions at Progress Building at the State Fair in 2000.
Tracy Clarke, 12, left and Bethany Skinner, 10, perform their rendition of "I've Got You Babe" as Sonny and Cher, today at the Wegmans Talent Showcase, at the 2000 New York State Fair. The pair, both from Vernon, advanced to the semi-finals to be held Labor Day weekend.
Krista Commisso, 3, of Syracuse falls sleep with her twin sister Katelynn in the cart during spending a day at the State Fair in 2000.
Almanbo Martinez, 13, and his friend Gerald Edwards, 9, of Syracuse have fun sliding down in the "Fun Slide" at State Fair in 2000.
Dario Damore of Canastota, NY, places sausages on the grill Sunday at Basilio's Italian Sausage booth at the 2000 New York State Fair. Left is Jeff Campbell, 16, of Canastota, NY, who was passing sausages to Damore to cook.
Blacksmith Marty Collins of Baldwinsville gives a demonstration on making an iron broomstick at the Carriage Museum of the 2000 State Fair.
Casey Nelson (11) of Littleberry Farm in Baldwinsville prepares for the showmanship portion of State Fair appaloosa horse show in 2000.
Courtney Mullings enjoys a snow cone at the 2000 State Fair.
Kelly Jacobson (left), 8, and his cousin Vince Morgan, 10, of Fulton got their special hairstyles for the State Fair in 2000.
Stiltwalker, Todd Lagessie, sprays Ben McCarthy, 13, of Geneva, NY at the New York State Fair in 2000.
Read more
See all of our State Fair Flashback photo compilations
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This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle at jcroyle@syracuse.com or call 315-427-3958.