The Erie County Fair is a fair held in Hamburg in Erie County, New York, every August. Based on 2018 attendance statistics, The Erie County Fair is the second largest fair in New York and the fourth largest county fair in North America, often drawing over one million in attendance.
History
1820 to 1867
The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private, not for profit membership corporation established in 1819, then called the Niagara County Horticultural Society. It held its first fair in 1820 on what is now the site of the Donovan Office Building in Buffalo. One year later, Niagara County split into Erie and Niagara Counties, and so did the agricultural society. The Erie County Agricultural Society is the oldest civic, community member organization in Erie County. The only time in the history of the fair where the event was not held was 1943 during World War II due to rationing of supplies for the war effort. The fair was briefly renamed America's Fair during the early to mid-2000s in an effort to expand the fair beyond Erie County; it has since been renamed the Erie County Fair.
The region's first agricultural society was founded in 1819 with the goal of sponsoring a county fair to promote education and competition among farmers. This goal was realized when the first fairs were held on the Buffalo waterfront in 1820 and 1821. Dr. Cyrenius Chapin, one of Buffalo's most active energetic pioneers was elected President for the fledgling organization. The location was near Terrace and Main Streets, the current site of One Canalside (2014). Enthusiasm for the annual "Farmer’s Holiday" was shortcut when local farmers lost interest due to poor travel conditions, a downturn in the economy and the community's collective focus on the building of the Erie Canal. With the opening of the Canal in 1825, the Village of Buffalo quickly grew in size and economic stature becoming a city in 1832. After not holding a fair from 1822 through 1840, The Erie County Agricultural Society was re-activated in 1841 and sponsored a Fair held at Lafayette Square on the grounds of the Erie County Court House. So earnest were their endeavors that only once since 1841 has a year passed without a Fair. In 1943 the Fair was postponed due to World War II rationing of gasoline and other vital commodities.
The Fair would be held within the Buffalo city-limits until 1849 at which time urban expansion facilitated a move to a country location for the Fair. 1850 marked the first year that the Fair was held outside of the City of Buffalo making its debut in the Village of Aurora. Lancaster hosted the Fair September 9 and 10, 1851. Fairgoers were able to take specially scheduled trains for a fare of .25 cents from Buffalo at 9:30a & 12:30a and returning from Lancaster at 1p and 5p. 1852 saw the Fair held in East Hamburgh, now Orchard Park. The 1853 Fair was held on the enclosed grounds at Cold Spring October 7 & 8. The Fair returned to Aurora in 1854 and 1855.
The year 1855 was distinguished by two important circumstances in the history of the Ag society. First it was then for the first time, that admission fee of cents was imposed. Secondly, it was the year that famed newspaper editor and once candidate for President Horace Greeley spoke as a main attraction. Greeley is noted for his famous admonition, "Go west, young man, go west!" His speech at the Fair was a practical talk – on drainage, the use of tile and the canning of fruit which was just coming into vogue. An act of the State Legislature in April 1855 provided for the more thorough organization of Agricultural Societies. At a meeting of the Society, the group was technically dissolved and immediately reorganized under the act.
The Agricultural Society leased, for the term of ten years, a lot near the Indian Church which is now called Indian Church Road in South Buffalo near West Seneca and held its fair on September 26-26, 1856. In 1862, the minutes speak of holding the fair on the Society's grounds near Whitmore's tavern. As no record of a change of location can be found, this must refer to the grounds near the Indian Church. But in 1863 the site was evidently change and a committee was appointed to locate a site nearer the city on the premise that it would then be to the Society's interests and more acceptable to the citizens of Buffalo. In 1865, under the direction of Hiram White, the fair was held on the half-mile track at Cold Springs.