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A quick guide to the 180th Erie County Fair

From food and rides, to shows and deals, here are some answers to the FAQs for the 2019 Erie County Fair.

HAMBURG, N.Y. — Wednesday, August 7, begins the self-proclaimed “Best 12 Days of Summer” at the Erie County Fair. But there are some things you should know to have the most fun, and get the most bang for your buck, before you make your annual summer pilgrimage to the Hamburg Fairgrounds.

ADMISSION:

Adults $12, Seniors (60+) $9, Children 12 & under are free everyday.

Early Morning Admission on weekdays- $7 admission before 11 am

Students are $7 everyday after 5 pm with proper student ID

SPECIAL DAYS

Opening Day- Wednesday, August 7- is Channel 2 Day. That means there’s FREE admission with the donation of 2 canned or non-perishable food items to benefit the Feed More WNY. Without the donation, admission is $5 on Opening Day.

Friday, August 9- Firefighter’s Day (6:30 pm parade)

Sunday, August 11- Veteran’s Day (1 pm parade)

Tuesday, August 13 & Thursday, August 15- $5 admission

Gate hours are 12pm-10pm on Opening Day Wednesday August 7 and 9am-10pm August 8 – 18.

Parking for passenger cars, SUVs and minivans is $5 everyday.

For more on admission and parking, click here.

RIDES:

New rides include the Sky Wheel, the Crazy Mouse Coaster and the Frisbee. The James E. Strates Midway is open daily from 11 am to 11 pm. Rides are approximately 5-10 credits each. 

Here are some of ways to save money on rides:

Weekday One Price Ride Days- available to purchase at the Fair for $30 ($25 if purchased by August 6 at Tops Friendly Markets). Valid Monday through Friday on the Midway and Kiddieland

Weekend One Price Ride Days- available to purchase on the midway $40 ($25 if purchased by August 6 at Tops Friendly Markets). Valid Saturday and Sundays on the Midway and Kiddieland

For more on rides, click here.

MOOTERNITY WARD:

Who doesn’t love baby cows? Text ILOVECOWS to 88588 and you’ll be notified when a cow is going to calve at the fairAlerts will be sent between 9 am-10 pm only. If you signed up last year, you are still in the system. If you’re not at the fair, you can watch the Mooternity Live Stream by clicking here. 

FOOD:

For many, (fried) food is the favorite part of the fair! New food options this year include Buffalo chicken stuffed banana peppers, peanut butter and jelly cheesecake, hot Cheeto fries, and hot candy wings. Download the Fairgrounds App to vote for your new favorite food at the fair. Voting runs August 7 through August 13. The winner will be announced August 15.

Click here to read more about the new foods. 

To try more food, and save some dough, check out the Taste of the Fair on Monday, August 12. Dozens of food vendors will be offering select food items for just $2. Checklists are available at the gate or see a list here

Here is a link to food coupons or pick them up at any Guest Services location at the fair.

GUSTO GRANDSTAND:

Highlights of this year’s performances include national touring comics and current chart toppers with five nights of free shows. By the way, all Grandstand tickets purchased prior to the day of the show include admission to the fair on the day of the performance.

August 7: Darci Lynne

August 8: Foghat (free show with admission to fair)

August 9: The PettyBreakers (free show with admission to fair)

August 10: Gabriel Iglesias Beyond the Fluffy World Tour

August 11: North American Masters Drone Race (free show with admission to fair)

August 12: Kane Brown

August 13: FreestyleMX.com (free show with admission to fair)

August 14: Happy Together Tour

August 15: Diamond Rio (free show with admission to fair)

August 16: The Australian Pink Floyd Show

August 17: Ultimate Night of Destruction

August 18: World’s Largest Demolition Derby

Here is a link to more information about Grandstand concerts.

Finally, remember to snap photos of your favorite Fair moments and share them with Channel 2 on our social media platforms. Remember to use the hashtag #BeOn2 so we can share them on air and online!

Before You Leave, Check This Out