Down in the Twin Tiers, fair season is a summer institution, and the fairs around Elmira range from your friendly small-town gathering to the oldest continuously running fair in the entire country. Here are the ones still ahead of us this summer, all a short drive away.
Chemung County Fair (Horseheads): August 4 to 8
The home fair for the Elmira area sets up just up the road in Horseheads, with harness racing on the track, a demolition derby, carnival rides, 4-H and open-class exhibits, and all the fair food you can handle. It's an affordable, easygoing few days that's about as local as it gets.
Find a fair near you at FindYourFair.com.
Tioga County Fair (Owego): August 11 to 15
A little to the east in the village of Owego, the Tioga County Fair brings harness racing, a demolition derby, livestock shows, and small-town charm. It runs the week after Chemung, so if you're feeling ambitious, you could hit both.
Find a fair near you at FindYourFair.com.
Steuben County Fair (Bath): August 17 to 23
Here's a bragging right worth the trip to Bath: the Steuben County Fair is the oldest continuously running fair in the United States, going all the way back to 1819. This year marks its 207th edition, and it still mixes that deep history (a one-room schoolhouse, a pioneer log-cabin museum, antique farm engines) with modern fair fun. Expect Rosaire's Royal Racing Pigs, a petting zoo, a monster truck show, a rodeo, and demolition derbies, plus a $2 admission day on Tuesday, August 18 that's tough to beat.
Find a fair near you at FindYourFair.com.
History, racing pigs, and fried dough
Whether you're catching harness racing in Horseheads or standing in the oldest fairgrounds in America down in Bath, the Twin Tiers' fairs are close to home and easy on the wallet. Every one is waiting for you at FindYourFair.com.