Gouverneur & St. Lawrence County Fair is July 29 to August 3

by Rachel Hunter

The 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair will be open Tuesday, July 29 through Sunday, August 3, 2025. The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair is a family tradition since 1859, and serves as a showcase for agricultural and youth achievements. 2025 marks the 166th year for the Gouverneur Agricultural and Mechanical Society, and the 173rd year for the St. Lawrence County Agricultural Society. Admission to the fair is free, with nominal costs for parking on the local fairgrounds. The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association has been working diligently for months to ensure that the 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair is bigger and better than before.

Fairgrounds Upgrades

The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association has made many upgrades to the fairgrounds in preparation for the 2025 Fair.

The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association received a $10,000 award through the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency Community Development and Environmental Improvement Program, which is administered by the IDA-Local Development Corporation. The funds will allow for upgrades and conversion of camper sites at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds. This includes water, sewer, and electrical upgrades. Fair Manager Don Peck reported that the electrical work has been completed, and the water/sewer line work will occur after the 2025 Fair Week. These upgrades will allow there to be camper space at the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair for exhibitors that is in compliance with New York State requirements. The Fair’s ability to attract exhibitors is critical in the Fair’s annual effort to put on the highest quality event possible. The upgrades were necessary so that the Fair could keep utilizing the camper sites for their intended purpose. As a 501c(3) non-project the Gouverneur Agricultural and Mechanical Society is a volunteer-driven organization. The Fair itself, however, generates a significant amount of economic activity in St. Lawrence County each year. The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair attracts over 30,000 visitors each year, clearly attracting tourism dollars and generating positive economic returns for St. Lawrence County.

Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that the RVRDA allocated up to $100,000 for this year’s program. Other $10,000 award recipients include: Black Lake Fish & Game Association (improvements to Fish and Game Complex, and Ames Youth Outdoor Education Center), Cranberry Lake Mountaineers (repairs to groomer), Town of Lisbon (rehabilitate downstairs of town hall), Town of Louisville (holiday/community spirit decorations), City of Ogdensburg (ventilation improvements at water pollution control facility), TAUNY (renovations to main street downtown location), and Town of Waddington (window restoration at old town hall). A $20,000 award was presented to the Potsdam Humane Society for facility repairs and upgrades to the shelter. The RVRDA and the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency Local Development Corporation gives priority to projects which most clearly support and advance community development, environmental improvement, and employment opportunities and projects that propose to use the program to leverage funds from federal, State, and regional programs, foundations, or other sources. The Community Development and Environmental Improvement Program has awarded over $4 million in funding since its inception in 2011 for a variety of projects throughout St. Lawrence County. This unique local program has supported many community organizations, attractions, and initiatives. The funding for the program was originally provided by the New York Power Authority. For information about the program, please contact the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency at 315-379-9806 or info@slcida.com. The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association is grateful for the $10,000 award which enables them to make the necessary upgrades to electrical, water and sewer at camper row on the Gouverneur Fairgrounds.

Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that over 30 wooden benches and picnic tables were recently built by the Southwest Tech (BOCES) Building Trades classes, under the instruction of Robert Hathaway and Teaching Assistant Robert Laskarzewski. The financing for the project was made possible from St. Lawrence County and local municipalities. These strong and sturdy wooden benches and picnic tables have been strategically placed across the local fairgrounds for the public’s enjoyment throughout the fair week.

A new beer pavilion has been constructed and installed in place of the old beer tent next to the grandstand. The new facility has lights, electrical, picnic tables, etc. The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association reported that the new pavilion will be open during fair week. Fair Manager Peck also noted that there is a potential that the pavilion will be available for use in the offseason as a place to hold family gatherings, picnics, reunions, and more. The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association is proud of this year’s upgrades to the Gouverneur Fairgrounds, and is excited to welcome the public to the 2025 Fair (July 29-August 3). For more info, visit www.gouverneurfair.net.

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. daily, starting on Wednesday, July 30. See the full wristband schedule in this week’s edition of the Gouverneur Tribune Press or via the fair’s page on Facebook. Fair Manager Don Peck encourages all fairgoers to take advantage of the big wristband savings by purchasing them online by July 28. The wristband grants access to all rides excluding the Rockin Cars (Bumper Cars) and bungee jump. A link to purchase the wristbands is available online at gouverneurfair.net. Coleman Bros. Shows plans to bring two new rides this year.

Fair Manager Don Peck also said he’s received confirmation for 52 vendors, including new food vendors. As of press deadline this week, the Fair was still looking for crafters, vendors, etc. to fill booth space under the grandstand. Anyone interested is urged to call Fair Manager Don Peck at 315-771-7690.

Daily Schedule

The 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair officially opens on Tuesday, July 29 at 4 p.m. with food and carnival games (no rides). At the grandstand on Tuesday night at 5 p.m. is 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 28. Talent Show rules and information are available online at www.gouverneurfair.net.

At 7 p.m., Frankie & The Moonlighters will take to grandstand stage. Admission is free, due to the contributions of generous sponsors. Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that Frankie & The Moonlighters, based in Bloomingdale, NY, is a nostalgia band with music from the ‘50s and 60s. Frankie & The Moonlighters are popular across the North Country, and especially in the Gouverneur community. The band has played to sold-out crowds at the Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035. All are encouraged to put on their dancing shoes, and join the fun during this opening night concert.

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, goats, and more. Don’t miss the livestock shows and agriculture competitions at the 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. On Tuesday, the 4-H Goat Show will be held at 10 a.m. in the Small Animal Building. The 4-H Rabbit Show is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. in the Small Animal Building. The 4-H & FFA Dairy Fitting Contest is scheduled to be held in the Cattle Show Ring at 3 p.m.

Wednesday, July 30 is the Carlton Peck Band Day. The high school marching band parade at the grandstand is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m., with the 61st Anniversary of the Peck Family Awards to follow. The 95.3 The Wolf Country Showdown will take the grandstand stage at 6 p.m. The Firemen’s Parade will be at 7 p.m., followed by a performance by the Norwood Brass Band. There will be 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 10 a.m. The 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 are scheduled to 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 2 p.m. in the Small Animal Building. The 4-H Dairy Costume Class will be held in the Cattle Show Ring at 4 p.m. The Sheep Lead Event will be held at the grandstand at about 6:30 p.m.

On Thursday, July 31, the New York Sire Stakes (harness racing) will return to the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair at noon. Fairgoers are looking forward to the return of the Amish Outlaws on the grandstand at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening. Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that the Amish Outlaws are an American cover band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The band was formed in 2002 and is composed of ex-Amish and "honorary Amish" musicians. The Amish Outlaws began in 2002. Three of the founding members, Ezekiel, Amos Def, and Hezekiah X moved to New York City after leaving the Amish community. They originally began playing in a band for fun and eventually decided to become The Amish Outlaws to make a living from it. Tickets are $15 each, and will be available at the gate. 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 2 p.m. at the Small Animals Building.

On Friday, August 1 at 6 p.m., the New York Hot Farm Pulling Series is scheduled. Tickets ($15 each) will be available at the grandstand 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 2, the North Country will welcome American Country Music Singer Randy Houser to the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. A country singer-songwriter with a distinctive voice and a knack for storytelling. Houser has racked up over half a dozen hits and over 1 billion streams. His How Country Feels album topped the country radio charts with the title track, “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” and “Goodnight Kiss” (also his first No. 1 as a songwriter) and earned critical acclaim for his powerful delivery of the Top 5 smash and nominated CMA Song of the Year, “Like A Cowboy.” Signed to Universal South Records in 2008, he charted the single "Anything Goes". It was a top 20 hit on the Billboard country singles chart and the title track to his debut album of the same name, which also produced his first top 5 hit, "Boots On". In 2012, he moved to Broken Bow Records imprint Stoney Creek. He reached number one with "How Country Feels", the title track to his third album, and with "Runnin' Outta Moonlight" in 2013. The follow-up singles from the same album were "Goodnight Kiss", which reached number one on the Mediabase Country Chart and number two on the Country Airplay chart, and "Like a Cowboy", which reached number 3 on the Country Airplay chart in March 2015 and received a 2015 Country Music Association Awards Song of the Year nomination. Prior to his success as an artist, Houser lived as a songwriter, co-writing singles including "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" by Trace Adkins, "Back That Thing Up" by Justin Moore, and "My Cowboy" by country pop artist Jessie James. The concert will be in the infield, and is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. There will be festival seating tickets only ($50 each) available at the gate. People will be able to stand or bring chairs, blankets, etc., and enjoy the concert. Fair Manager Peck confirmed that chairs can be set up in the afternoon hours. The gate for the concert will open at about 6 p.m. Fair Manager Peck confirmed that there have been about 12 sponsors toward the concert, totaling $42,500, and the VIP tent will be on site. Tickets sales started in November 2024, and continue to be available through the fair office. Tickets will also be available at the gate on Saturday. Fair Manager Peck reported that people from all over New York State and the northeastern region will be in attendance. “We expect to have a good concert,” he said.

At the agriculture end, the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair will see the 2025 Draft Horse Pull at the horse show ring. Weigh-in starts at 10 a.m., with the event starting 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 3, 1 p.m., at the grandstand, the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair is scheduled to host a crowd favorite with the 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair & 21st Annual Bub Durham Memorial Demolition Derby. All tickets are $15. 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.

The Youth Building will be open daily for fairgoers to see exhibits, contests, activities and more. The 4-H youths will start having their projects evaluated this Saturday, July 26 in readiness for the 2025 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 once again be filled with many booths again this year. New this year, the Youth Building will have a booth for the local FFA Chapters. The FFA Building will be closed to the fairgoing public.

The weekly schedule of events also includes an open horse show on Sunday, July 27, 9 a.m., at the horse show ring. 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 28, 5:30 p.m., at the grandstand. The public is invited to attend. For more information, visit www.stlawco.gov.

Free Ground Acts

There will be two free ground acts at the 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. Fairgoers will see the return of a crowd favorite, Eudora Farms Petting Zoo. The interactive, hands-on exotic petting zoo includes 20-25 rare and exotic animals from around the world. This exhibit will be located in the agricultural exhibits section, alongside the cattle show ring throughout the fair week. New this year is Andy Rotz Entertainment’s Wild West Showdown that promises to thrill audiences at the 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County with a high energy, rapid fire wild west extravaganza including: world-class trick roping, whip cracking, gun spinning, knife throwing, sharpshooting, K-9 performance and more. They will be set up on the local fairgrounds, Tuesday, July 28 through Saturday, August 2. Fair Manager Peck reported to the Gouverneur Tribune Press that Rosaire’s Royal Racers will not be at the 2025 Fair, but it is hoped that they can return in 2026.

For more information about the 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair, visit www.gouverneurfair.net or call 315-287-3010. See you at the fair!