GEDDES, N.Y. — The Great New York State Fair offers more than midway thrills and livestock exhibits. For many attendees, the event is an immersive encounter that engages all five senses, from the distant echo of carnival music to the immediate aroma of frying dough across the fairgrounds.
A fair you can hear before you see
The fair’s layered soundscape begins before most visitors reach the gates. Live bands, vendors calling out, and the shrieks of riders on tall attractions create a soundtrack that announces the event long before the lights come into view. "It was really good, actually. It was just like very fast and there were a lot of turns," said Frankie Paglia about a ride on the midway.
Food and smell: the fair’s unmistakable signature
Food aromas thread through the grounds and often set the mood for a visit. Some fairgoers come primarily for iconic concessions — fried dough, deep-fried Oreos and regional sandwich specialties — and say those tastes are central to their annual tradition. Karl Oney praised a sausage sandwich, calling it "unbelievably good," while Aleena Giarrusso singled out deep-fried Oreos as a repeated favorite.
"The deep-fried Oreos. I already love Oreos, and it's just like so good. I think it's the best. It smells good, it tastes really good and I could get them every day and not get sick of it," Aleena Giarrusso said.
Visitors also noted the textural appeal of fair food. Blake Sheldon told reporters, "It's the crunch. The crunch is where it's at. You gotta get some of those crispies. I paid the 8 bucks for the crispiness."
Visuals, touch and the barns
The fair’s visual elements — flashing lights on rides, colorful vendor signage and crowds carrying oversized novelty items — punctuate the late-summer sky. Inside agricultural buildings, the atmosphere shifts: cooler air, the sound of animals and a distinct farm smell that many attendees expect as part of the experience.
For Charissa and Carson Chen, fried dough retains a top spot on their fair checklist. "Candy... Tastes like candy... It was crispy, doughy on the inside, sweet, a little salty too," they said, summarizing why certain treats remain perennial favorites.
Why the senses matter
Organizers and repeat visitors alike say the fair’s sensory range is central to its appeal. The combined effect of smells, sounds, sights, taste and touch helps create memories that mark the end of summer for many households across the state.
- Sound: Live music, rides, vendor calls and game bells contribute to the atmosphere.
- Smell: Fried foods, grilling meats and the barns produce powerful, evocative scents.
- Taste: Regional specialties and fried confections draw repeat visitors.
- Sight: Midway lights, agricultural displays and large crowds form the fair’s visual identity.
- Touch: Textures range from the crisp bite of fried foods to the feel of animal coats in exhibit areas.
| SENSE | EXAMPLE AT THE FAIR |
|---|---|
| Hearing | Band music, rider screams, vendor announcements |
| Smell | Fried dough, grilling, barns |
| Taste | Deep-fried treats, sausage sandwiches, novelty snacks |
Continuing tradition
For many families, the state fair is a ritual that signals summer’s waning as much as it is a day of entertainment. The assortment of sensory experiences — from the crunch of a fried snack to the distant drumbeat of a stage performance — combines to create what visitors describe as more than a collection of attractions. It becomes a shared cultural moment.
While individual favorites vary, the consensus among those interviewed is that the fair’s unique, multi-sensory environment is what brings people back year after year. Thousands of fairgoers pass through the gates, each carrying personal highlights: a favored sandwich, a deep-fried novelty or simply the memory of a summer evening spent with music and lights.
As the sun sets over Geddes and lights blink to life across the midway, the fair’s full sensory effect is on display — a reminder that for many New Yorkers, the state fair remains less an event and more a feeling that keeps summer alive a little longer.
