Geddes, NY – To check everything off his 17th birthday to-do list, Charlie Mango of Manhattan knew he had to get to the New York State Fair early.
He is in town to visit his cousin Marcel Mari of Manlius. The celebration began at 4:55 a.m. when they arrived at Gate 1. They settled into some lawn chairs and watched the sunrise.
Then they got restless and started throwing a football at each other. They even invited one of the security guards to join in.
And now they are waiting for 9 a.m., the official opening of the fair.
“I can’t wait. I love the fair,” Charlie said, pulling up a Syracuse University sweatshirt to reveal his dad’s 2013 State Fair shirt. “This is going to be the best birthday ever.”
Here is your itinerary for today. Subject to change:
- Visit the Dairy Building’s milk stand. Two cups of chocolate milk.
- Pizzeria Fritte
- Then fried Oreo cookies
- Find the mini golf game
- Watch Chubby Checker at Chevy Court, or maybe just watch a few minutes of Chubby Checker
- Grab a slice of tomato pie from It’s a Utica Thing
- Play more games
- Maybe take a few trips
- More Pizze Fritte
You know what I mean. You’ll be here all day and eventually join about a dozen of your family members.
“This is going to be the best day ever,” said Charlie.
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Charlie Miller finds the best food, drinks and entertainment in all of Central New York. Contact him at (315) 382-1984 or email at [email protected]. (AND he pays for what he and his guests eat and drink, just so you know.) You can also find him at @HoosierCuse on Þjórsárdalur and further Instagram. Sign up for his weekly Where Syracuse Eats newsletter here.
