Reservations for a 16-day stay can be made online and are for those planning to stay for the entire 12 day run of the Fair, from August 25 to September 5. RVs may arrive beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 21 and must leave by 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 6. The reservation form is available at bit.ly/EmpireRVPark. Information on single-day camping will be provided at a later date.

For the first time, each reservation includes two 12-day admission wristbands to the Fair and parking for one vehicle besides the RV. Full details can be found on the Fair’s website.

The Empire RV Park features 315 permanent spaces, an increase over the 222 spaces reserved for 12-day camping in prior years. Each campsite has full access to water, sewer, and electrical hookups as well as use of bathroom and shower facilities and regular garbage pickup. Several campsites are available for those requiring accessibility accommodations.

“We are very excited to open this new facility and believe the Fair’s longtime camping customers will enjoy the improvements. I know they’re going to want to see all of the changes happening here this year,” said Troy Waffner, Acting Fair Director. “We’re also thankful to the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for including the Fair’s campground in its online reservation system, and look forward to providing a better reservations system for our customers.”

The Empire RV Park is one of several major enhancements taking place as part of Governor Cuomo’s $50 million plan to revitalize the Fairgrounds, which has not seen a major investment in its facilities in nearly 80 years. A new main entrance is rising quickly along State Fair Boulevard, one which echoes the Fair’s historic carriage entrance of the turn of the 20th century. Improvements include a larger, more comfortable midway, an area to celebrate New York’s outdoor assets and space for possible future development.

Today’s announcement complements “Central NY Rising,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested nearly $3 billion in the region since 2012 to lay the groundwork for the plan – capitalizing on global market opportunities, strengthening entrepreneurship and creating an inclusive economy. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Syracuse, Oswego and Auburn as a destination to grow and invest in.

Now, the region is accelerating Central NY Rising with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 5,900 new jobs. More information is available here.

About the Great New York State Fair
The New York State Fair, operated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, runs from August 25 to September 5, 2016. The Fair’s mission, reflected in its theme, “Summer’s Best In Show!,” is to showcase the best of New York agriculture while providing top-quality entertainment.

In addition to the annual New York State Fair, the Fairgrounds host dozens of agricultural events throughout the year, including some of the Northeast’s most prestigious horse and livestock shows.

The home of the Great New York State Fair is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. A year-round schedule of events is available on the Fair’s website. Find The Great New York State Fair on Facebook, follow @NYSFair on Twitter, and enjoy photos from the Fair at Flickr.com/photos/nysfair. Also, New Yorkers are invited to send their ideas for the Great New York State Fair at statefairideas@agriculture.ny.gov.

Media Contacts:
Jola Szubielski
Public Information Officer
NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets
518-457-0752

Dave Bullard
Public Relations
New York State Fair
315-487-7711 x 1377