More Than Just The Fair at the NYS Fairgrounds

My first Halloween in Syracuse was a delight. People went out during the whole weekend for pre-Halloween parties, and trick or treaters were out in full force. However, there was a place in Syracuse that people might have missed for this Halloween season, and I can tell you, it was so much fun.

Fright Night at the Fair, located at New York State Fairgrounds, was a perfect match with the holiday, as horror is one of the classic elements of Halloween. The “theme park” was opened during the weekends in October and just closed this past weekend.

I went to the Fright Night with my friends last weekend as a Halloween gathering. There were three haunted houses — the Haunted Mansion, the Hostel and the Clown Prison. Each one was decorated like a home you’d see in a horror movie, and the Hostel was definitely my favorite. It was so dark inside the house that I got lost several times. You had to be prepared to be scared at all times, because you wouldn’t know if there would be anything or anyone hiding in the shadows or around the next corner. But, to be honest, who wouldn’t like a little excitement during Halloween?

Staff members dressed like all kinds of monsters and wandered around in the park. They would sneak up on you when you were talking to your friends; or just stared at you for a long time until you were creeped out. The costumes, decorations and dim lights created a whole new world in Syracuse. I felt like that I had entered a land of horror.

But the New York State Fairgrounds is home to more than just Fright Night. Many of us may know the site as the host of the New York State Fair during the summer, which is a huge annual event in upstate New York. People came to Syracuse from all over the state to attend the event. Local restaurants and food trucks gathered at the fair, and there were also bands performing and local businesses promoting and selling crafts at the event. People also went to the fair to ride amusement park rides, get a temporary tattoo or play carnival games.

If you are upset that you have missed these events, or want to attend more,  keep your eyes on the New York State Fairgrounds website, since there are events happening throughout the year. These include the Syracuse Thanksgiving Antiques Show on November 26 and 27, and the Christmas Craft & Holiday Market during the weekends in December.

You can find a lot more to do in Syracuse than you may have expected if you’re willing to spend a day (or night) at the fair.