by Rachel Hunter
The 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair will be open Tuesday, July 30 through Sunday, August 4, 2024.
The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair is a family tradition since 1859, and serves as a showcase for agricultural and youth achievements. 2024 marks the 165th year for the Gouverneur Agricultural and Mechanical Society, and the 172nd year for the St. Lawrence County Agricultural Society. The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association has been working diligently for months to ensure that the 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair is bigger and better than before.
The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association has made big upgrades to the fairgrounds in preparation for the 2024 Fair.
The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association demolished an old dairy cattle barn, and constructed and erected a new one in its place. Fair Manager Don Peck said the following: “Back in the Gov. Cuomo administration and then the Hochul administration put $1 million in the state budget five years in a row. That million dollars was divided between all of the fairs in the State of New York, 52 of them I believe. We each received $96,000. Grant No. 1: We built a new barn with the funding three or four years ago. Grant No. 2: We revamped a dairy barn last year with new roof, new siding, new rafters. Grant No. 3: We purchased some equipment – tractor, two Gators (UTV), and other equipment we needed around the fairgrounds. This is Grant No. 4: We tore the barn down, and built a new barn. The grant was $96,000. Of course it cost a lot more than $96,000 to build a barn. But the other structure that was there was just unsafe. The foundation was getting bad. We looked at trying to repair it, and it was going to cost more to repair. So we decided that we’d build a barn just like the other ones, so they look alike… Grant No. 5: We are working on that. It is going to be the last one. We are looking at probably using some of that to do the finishing touches on this barn, and also infrastructure – drainage and things like that. Without the $96,000 from the State for the last four years, we couldn’t have done any of this renovation. I’m a state director now, but when I was a state director the first time a few years ago, we complained about all the money they were putting into the State Fair. And the county fairs are the ones that feed the State Fair. So we figured we lobbied to get some money. And so they did that $1 million per year for five years in a row.”
As part of the New York State County Fair Promotional Program, the State implemented its marketing and advertising campaign for 50 county and local fairs located across the State is “Never Far From Fun.” It includes a 30-second television advertisement, radio ads, and digital ads, as well as billboards, which have been strategically placed along major highways and interstates to increase visibility and exposure to the campaign and drive attendance to county fairs. The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair received $10,000 for fair promotion. “It had to be something you’ve never done before,” Fair Manager Peck said. “We bought two neon signs, one is outside the Fair Office right now. We also hired two recent high school graduates (Chloe Boclair and Sylvia French). Their job is going to be to promote the fair on Facebook and TikTok. They are going to be over there all week promoting the fair, stopping at each food vendors, getting a sample of food, and promote the food vendors and promote the rides. That is something we have lacked is the social media aspect.”
The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair also received a $15,000 grant from the New York Sire Stakes to improve its half-mile racetrack. The grant was used to install a French drain a third of the way around the racetrack to improve drainage.
Other upgrades included new LED lighting around the fairgrounds, upgraded electrical, repairs to the racetrack, drainage by the horse show ring, etc.
Fair Midway
The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association is looking forward to welcoming back the Coleman Bros. Shows for the carnival games and rides on the midway. The wristband schedule has been announced. Rides will open at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31. See the full wristband schedule in this week’s edition of the Gouverneur Tribune Press or online at gouverneurfair.net. Fair Manager Don Peck encourages all fairgoers to take advantage of the big wristband savings by purchasing them online by July 29. The wristband grants access to all rides excluding the Rockin Cars (Bumper Cars) and bungee jump. “I see on Facebook that there is a complaint on why it doesn’t include the Bumper Cars,” Fair Manager Peck said. “It has never included the bumper cars, so it is not something that the carnival has taken away. The reason they do not include the bumper cars is because if they do that, people keep riding and riding and it burns the motors up. I encourage people to get online and buy those wristbands, and save $10. It makes a difference, $35 to $25.” Coleman Bros. Shows anticipates bringing one more ride than last year, and to expand its selection, including the Kiddie Land rides, by the 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair.
Fair Manager Don Peck also said he’s received confirmation for two new food truck vendors (including Jumbo’s), 15 new commercial vendors, and 10-15 new crafters/vendors underneath the grandstand. New to the fair this year, fairgoers can go under the grandstand and get their haircuts by Angela Hadfield of MANgelas Barbering LLC. At 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, there will be mullet and beard contests under the grandstand. There will be lots of prizes. Sign up at the MANgelas Barbering LLC booth at under the grandstand prior to event time.
Daily Schedule
The 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair officially opens on Tuesday, July 30 at 4 p.m. with food and carnival games (no rides). At the grandstand on Tuesday night at 7 p.m., will be the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Talent Show. Free admission to attend. All St. Lawrence County residents over the age of 3 years are encouraged to enter. There will be cash prizes in every age group, and competitors will have the opportunity to advance to the New York State Fair. Entries will be accepted until Monday, July 29. Talent Show rules and information is available online at www.gouverneurfair.net.
At the agriculture end, all livestock and exhibits will be in place by 11 a.m. on Tuesday. There are over 200 head of cattle registered for competition, as well as poultry, rabbits, horses, sheep, and more. Don’t miss the livestock shows and ag competitions at the 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. On Tuesday, the 4-H Rabbit Show will be held at 9 a.m. in the Sheep Barn. The 4-H Goat Show will be held at 1 p.m. in the Sheep Barn.
Wednesday, July 31 is the Carlton Peck Band Day. The high school marching band parade at the grandstand will start at 1 p.m., with the 60th Anniversary of the Peck Family Awards to follow. It is anticipated that at least five marching bands will be competing – the Gouverneur Marching Wildcats, Heuvelton Marching Bulldogs, Morristown Marching Rockets, Lisbon Marching Golden Knights, and Thousand Islands-General Brown. The Wolf Country Showdown will take the grandstand stage at 6 p.m. The Firemen’s Parade will be at 7 p.m. The Norwood Brass Band will perform at 8 p.m. for about 30-45 minutes before the firemen’s parade awards are announced. Free admission for all events at the grandstand during Carlton Peck Band Day. At the agriculture end, the 4-H and Open Beef Cattle Show will be held in the Cattle Show Ring at 9 a.m. The FFA Tractor Driving, Tree & Wildlife ID/Field & Forage Contest will be held in the FFA Barn at 10 a.m. 4-H Dairy Showmanship will be held at 12 p.m. in the Cattle Show Ring. The FFA Leadsman Class and 4-H & FFA Judging Contest will immediately follow. The First Flower Show will be held at noon in the Youth Building. The 4-H & Open Sheep Show will be held at 1 p.m. The 4-H Dairy Costume Class will be held in the Cattle Show Ring at 4 p.m. The 4-H Sheep Lead Event will be held at the grandstand at about 6:30 p.m.
On Thursday, August 1, the New York Sire Stakes (harness racing) will return to the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair at noon. Thanks to the generosity of local sponsors, there is no cost for the Thursday night grandstand concert. Opening will be DJ Lennox (Edwards native Ryan Lennox), performing from 6 to 7 p.m. The country band Buck Shot (Virginia Beach, Va.) will perform from 7 to 10 p.m. The band features lead singer Curtis Cowles, a Harrisville native, who is looking forward to performing in front of the hometown crowd. The band’s hits include “Freedom Ain’t Free,” “Don’t Let Go,” and more. For more info, visit gouverneurfair.net. At the agriculture end, the 4-H and Open All-Breeds Dairy Heifer Show will be held at the Cattle Show Ring, starting at 9 a.m. The 4-H and Open Poultry Show will be held at 1 p.m. at the Sheep Barn.
On Friday, August 2 at 6 p.m., there will the New York Hot Farm Truck and Tractor Pulling Series at the grandstand. Tickets will be available at the gate. At the agriculture end, the 4-H Western, Ranch, and Gymkhana Horse Show will be held in the Horse Show Ring, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 4-H and Open All-Breed Dairy Cattle Show will start at 9 a.m. in the Cattle Show Ring. The Second Flower Show will be held at noon in the Youth Building. Barnyard Olympics will be held at 6 p.m. in the Cattle Show Ring.
On Saturday, August 3 will be the headline concert featuring country artists, LOCASH and David Lee Murphy. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the fair office, and will be available at the gate. There is still both reserved seating ($70) and general seating ($50) available. “General admission means you can bring your own chair, you can stand, bring your own blanket and sit on the ground, whatever you want to do,” Fair Manager Peck said. “It’s a great price for two great shows.” For more information, call the fair office at 315-287-3010. At the agriculture end, the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair will see the 2024 Draft Horse Pull at the horse show ring. Weigh-in starts at 10 a.m., with the event to start at noon. The 4-H Cat Show will be held in the 4-H Youth Building at 10 a.m. The 4-H Dog Show will be held at 1 p.m.
On Sunday, August 4, 1 p.m., at the grandstand, the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair hosts a crowd favorite, its annual demolition derby. At the agriculture end, the 4-H English Horse Show will be held at 9 a.m. in the horse show ring. The release of all animals and exhibits is from 1 to 4 p.m.
Fairgoers can also look forward to the return of the free ground acts – Eudora Farms Petting Zoo and Rosaire’s Royal Racers – throughout the fair week.
The 4-H Youth Building and the FFA Building is open daily for fairgoers to see exhibits, contest, activities and more.
The 4-H youths will start having their project evaluated this Saturday, July 27 in readiness for the 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. The 4-H teen leaders have been gearing up for the fair through workdays at the fairgrounds, and fairgoers will see them around the fairgrounds at the 4-H Youth Building, helping with the livestock shows, and taking care of the animals in the Small Animal Building. The 4-H Youth Building will be filled with many fun and interactive booths again this year. “We will have several youth organizations setting up both static and interactive booths for families to visit throughout the week,” 4-H Youth and Family Team Lead Tamara Hill said. “We have Fidelis, St. Lawrence Health Initiative's CAPP/Teens Help program, Seaway Valley Prevention Council, the St. Lawrence County Youth Bureau, St. Lawrence County Public Health Department, and various Cornell Cooperative Extension programs.” For more information on 4-H, visit stlawrence.cce.cornell.edu.
The weekly schedule of events also includes an open horse show on Sunday, July 28, 9 a.m., at the horse show ring. As of press time this week, the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association announced that it could be canceled due to lack of exhibitors. The entry deadline was extended to Thursday, July 25. Follow the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair page on Facebook for last-minute updates.
The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association also looks forward to welcoming the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators to the Gouverneur Fairgrounds on Monday, July 29, 5:30 p.m., for its Finance Committee meeting at the grandstand. The public is invited to attend. For more information, visit www.stlawco.gov.
For more information about the 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair, visit www.gouverneurfair.net or call 315-287-3010. See you at the fair!